A Darker Path
by Marimbo
Summary: The Dragonborn is left changed after her battle with Alduin, and when the vampire menace strikes Skyrim she has to battle more than her inner demons. Female Dragonborn x Serana. M for gore, language, and sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, reader. This is my first try at a fanfic, and reviews are much appreciated. I hope I will get better at formatting, for I have no experience with writing on this site before. In any case, please enjoy.**

* * *

 **Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes,**

 **with a hunger to swallow the world,**

 **and a thu'um to command the sky**

* * *

Mora gathered her cloak more closely about her as she trudged into Dayspring Canyon. In retrospect, maybe she should have made this journey in the daytime, and maybe she could have at least kept some feeling in her fingers. With a slight shiver, the petite Altmer pushed past the bristles of a conifer in her path, grimacing at the cold wind that swept through the canyon in howling gusts, managing to find its way into her hood and chill her pointed ears even further. More than ever, she was thankful for her Archmage robes and Nahkriin, at least they protected her somewhat from the biting wind. She hoped that this Fort Dawnguard she had been told about what at least somewhat nearby. One would think that someone like her would have plenty to do to busy themselves, between her high position in the College of Winterhold and the Dark Brotherhood. There was nothing for her to do at the College nowadays, Mora never fancied herself much of a teacher, despite her mastery of destruction and rejuvenation magics. As for the Brotherhood, she gained little pleasure in doing odd menial tasks for an organization she singlehandedly saved. Such jobs were far below her, and sometimes it took far too much of her will just to stop herself from killing the lot of them. Mora felt the fingers of her left hand twitch, almost aching to reach for the sword sheathed at her back. It seemed like that was the only thing that gave her comfort these days. These days, she had a lust for violence that she felt growing ever since-

"Oh, hey there!" The words cut through the night, startling Mora out of her reverie. Whirling on the spot, her gloved hand went automatically to the grip of her sword, and it was halfway out of its sheath before she stopped herself. A man, wearing a simple tunic with an axe on his right hip was jogging towards her.

"Are you here to join the Dawnguard too?" He spoke again when he reached her side, sounding far too cheery for both the current temperature and time of night. Mora fought a grimace, and instead forced a strained smile to her face. _Damned Nords and their resistance to the cold._ Mora opened her mouth for what she hoped might sound like a remotely friendly greeting, but the man began talking excitedly again before she could get any words out.

"Truth is, I'm a little nervous. I've never done anything like this before. I hope you don't mind if I walk up with you." Mora forced herself to relax and give a still rather tense nod in his direction before doggedly continuing, hoping to avoid any sort of conversation. The man seemed unperturbed, even though he may as well have been talking to a brick wall.

"Hey, uh, don't tell Isran I was afraid to meet him by myself. Not the best first impression for a new vampire hunter, I guess." Mora shrugged her shoulders in response, but she was inclined to agree, sparing a sideways glance at the small axe the man carried. He would probably be the first to die in a fight against vampires, but that was no concern of hers. The man seemed content with her response, and they walked through the canyon in silence for a few minutes.

"That must be it. Fort Dawnguard… Wow. Bigger than I expected." Mora glanced up and was able to just make the outline of a castle through the gloom. Small lights shone from slits in the walls, which seemed to be made from grey stone. It certainly was large, at least compared to the headquarters of most of the guilds she had visited. The man, in his usual fashion, didn't give her a chance to respond.

"I heard what's going on. The vampires, the Dawnguard, all of it. I wanted to help, so here I am." Mora wasn't sure how much help he'd be, what with his lack of armor and any more than mediocre weapon, but her silence was once again enough for the man, and the pair of them sped up their pace slightly, the man from excitement, and Mora at the promise of finally getting out of the cold.

"Where is everybody? This place looks almost deserted." More spared him a scathing glance that went completely unnoticed. _Of course nobody is around, fool. It's fucking nighttime._ Finally they were at the gates of the fort, Mora unable to suppress her glee at the prospect of finally being warm again.

"I guess this is it. Wish me luck," the man said before they pushed open the doors and entered Fort Dawnguard.

Mora was immediately and severely underwhelmed. Not only was the castle in a state of deep disrepair and neglect, but it was freezing inside. Mora hoped deeply that the fort had an ample supply of mead, because she was trying very hard not to kill anyone today. Despite the cold, she lowered her hood, allowing her chocolate brown hair to flow down her upper back, and removed her mask revealing strikingly soft features for an elf, with deep emerald eyes and gentle lips that were curled into a slight frown. A man with dark skin and a massive warhammer strapped to his back approached her.

"Ah, new recruits?" He had a deep gravely voice, it sounded almost like he was doing it on purpose to seem more intimidating. With effort, Mora avoided rolling her eyes.

"I'm Isran, leader of the Dawnguard. These days, it seems we need all the help we can get."

"And how exactly do I...help?" Mora drawled, earning a glance from her earlier companion at the sound of her voice, "It seems as if, judging by the state of this place, you're doing quite well." Isran sent her a scowl, but disregarded her last comment.

"I need someone in the field taking the fight to the damned vampires, while we're getting the fort back into shape… Tolan," he motioned to a tall bald man with a warhammer almost as large as his own, "was telling me about some cave that the Vigilants were poking around in. Seemed to think it was related to these vampire attacks." Mora listened boredly as Tolan told her about a Dimhollow Crypt, that supposedly held a sort of vampire artefact. It would be something to do at least. Something to keep her mind off things. Tolan promised to meet her at Dimhollow in the morrow before taking his leave. Isran, looking behind Mora, called out, "You there, boy. Stop skulking in the shadows and step up here. What's your name?" Mora's earlier companion walked forward nervously, seeming not to know what to do with his hands.

"I'm uh… my name is Agmaer, sir." Mora nearly scoffed at his pathetic stammer. The coward could barely even get a word out, let alone be able kill a vampire.

"Do I look like a 'sir' to you boy? I'm not a soldier, and you're not joining the army."

Isran seemed to be under the same opinion, and Mora smirked slightly, gaining a small amount of respect for the man.

"Yes, si-...Isran." Isran huffed,

"Didn't I tell you to step forward? Hmm...farm boy, eh? What's your weapon?" The man, Agmaer, trembled slightly.

"Uh, my weapon? I mostly just use pa's axe, when wolves are attacking the goats or something." Isran let out a deep chuckle, "'My Pa's axe', Stendarr preserve us. Don't worry, I think we can make a Dawnguard out of you. Here, let's take this crossbow and see how you shoot." Mora quickly lost interest in the conversation, and made her way past the two men to try and find a good place to sleep. Preferably somewhere with a lot of blankets and a roaring fire. Maybe tomorrow, at Dimhollow Crypt, something interesting might finally happen.


	2. Chapter 2

Dimhollow Crypt was just as dreary as the name suggested and, Mora grimaced at the thought, cold. Praying silently there wouldn't be any giant spiders, Mora crept quietly into the cave. Usually she would run headlong into the fray, but she wasn't exactly sure what she was up against. Sure, she had fought vampires before, but she had no knowledge of either their numbers or skills. Tolan did not meet her at the entrance, and she could only assume he was inside, or lost. Either way, she didn't much care. As she moved further through the cave, she felt her ears prick up as she heard voices from deeper inside.

"These Vigilants never know when to give up. I thought we'd taught them enough of a lesson at their hall." A vampire then. A female voice responded, "To come in here alone...a fool like all the rest of them." Mora crept towards the sound, crouching to avoid being seen. She could see an underground stream, its sound not quite loud enough to drown out the two vampires.

"He fought well though. Jeron and Bresoth were no match for him." The female let out a bark of laughter, "Those two deserved what they got. Their arrogance had become insufferable." Skirting around the stream, the vampires' voices were momentarily masked by the noise of a small waterfall. Mora strained her ears, hoping the vampires might give her some insight as to their purpose.

"...I have half a mind to return to the castle and tell Harkon what a fool he's entrusted this mission to." Mora raised a single brow. The vampires she encountered unusually inhabited caves such as this one. She had never heard of a castle of vampires before. She was startled out of her thoughts by two red eyes that pierced through the dimly lit cave. A dark figure bounded towards her, a dog by the looks of it. Deciding that the time for silence was over, Mora smoothly drew her dragonbone blade, hearing shouts from the two vampires. She caught the hound in a vicious kick as it leapt for her leg, and it bounced off a stony column with a pitiful whine. Whirling just in time to dodge an ice spike as it flew past her skull, she caught a glimpse of the male vampire running towards her. She felt herself unable to suppress a smile that was equally a baring of her teeth. _Finally some action._ She allowed her magic to run through her body, shuddering at how good it felt. How _powerful_ it felt. The male vampire stood no chance. He didn't even have time to swing his axe her direction before her blade had gone cleanly through his neck, his body dissolving into dust as he sank to the ground.

"Bitch!" She heard the other vampire scream, sending another ice spike her way. Mora dodged it casually, filling her empty palm with fire, and hurling it at the vampire. Mora watched gleefully as the vampire screamed in agony, and she felt her smile grow slightly. This was going to be fun.

To Mora's slight disappointment, her opponents were far too weak. Unless you counted the spiders. She shuddered at the thought, wishing for not the first time she had any ounce of skill with a bow. The bloodshed did quell her… _urges_ , at least for the time being. Mora scowled at the thought. They were becoming harder to repress. In fact sometimes, like now, she really wasn't even trying. Nobody would miss a vampire, as far as she was concerned. Still, she felt a fear that grew more menacing each day, that maybe she would take the life of someone innocent or defenseless. Shaking such thoughts from her mind, she wiped blood off her sword, continuing her way deeper into the cave. Encountering more vampires and hounds, Mora allowed herself to revel in their slaughter. It didn't matter to her how brutal she was on these monsters. In fact, she would enjoy watching them burn.

Mora soon came to a gate as the cave began to open up slightly, a stream running down the side of the subtle path in the stones. A lever was placed conveniently next to the door, and Mora flipped it without a glance, turning to see the largest frostbite spider she had ever laid eyes on. The reaction was immediate, Mora let out a shriek far too undignified for someone of either her strength or stature. The power of her voice sent the spider reeling back, a master vampire whirling around to face her, and dust shaking from the ceiling as the cave trembled. Angrily, Mora charged as much fire into her hand as she could manage, and even more in her voice.

" **YOL TOOR SHUL**!" The whole room was set ablaze, the screams of the vampire mixing with the shrieks of the spider as both were incinerated to ash. _Fuck spiders._ Mora stalked across the room, giving a particularly nasty glare at the ashes where the spider had been moments ago. The door at the back of the room was charred, ash knocking loose as the roughly tugged it open. Of all the ways to ruin her good mood it had to be _fucking_ spiders. Her ears pricked up at the sound of voices as she slipped through the door and into a much larger cavern. She was on a sort of stone terrace, carved gargoyles grimacing at even intervals along the walls and railing, which was carved of the same grey stone as the rest of the room.

"I'll never tell you anything, vampire. My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any suffering you can inflict on me."

"Then at least you will be of some service to me," the vampire responded scathingly, "as my thrall." The man groaned in pain for a brief moment, before silence permeated the cavern. Mora peered hesitantly over the edge of her perch, only to reel backwards as a lighting bolt arched over her head. It would seem that they heard some of the commotion in the previous room. At least, after she was done, nobody would be alive who heared that shrill scream of hers. _Thank the gods I didn't bring Lydia or Aela with me._ She charged fire into her palm, running in a crouch to the pillar nearest the stairway down to the main floor. Several ice spikes and lightning bolts sailed past her cover, and peeking around the pillar she saw a few vampires and the newly turned thrall running up the stairway to her. Her lips curved into a slow smile. _Finally a real fight._ With a roar that shook dust from the cavern ceiling, she sprung from her hiding place, leaping down the whole first flight of steps. Landing in a roll, she quickly swung her blade to catch the thrall in the legs, sending him to the ground with a cry. A vampire sent another ice spike at her, which she deflected off the guard of her sword, sending a ball of fire back at the vampire, who collapsed to the ground screaming. She brought her sword down on the crippled thrall, severing his head from his shoulders. Mora realised distantly that she was laughing. It sounded strange, and almost demonic, even in her own ears, but at the same time, she knew she needed this. The three remaining vampires retreated, eyeing her warily.

"Whore!" One of the vampires, wearing superior armor to the others was glaring at her with a seething hatred. "I'm going to enjoy draining you dry," he spat, hands glowing with energy. Mora stopped laughing, and tilted her head to regard the vampire.

"And I'm going to enjoy watching you burn," she said simply. Mora brought her hands together, charging a ball of molten fire in her palms. The vampire's eyes widened in fear as she allowed her magic to flow through her, making the air around her crackle with its intensity. He raised his hands either to protect himself or cast his own spell, she didn't care. With a yell, she threw her hands apart, unleashing a swirling ball of fire around herself. The vampires only had time to scream before he was incinerated, leaving nothing behind but a faint outline of boots in the newly blackened stone.

Mora finally set her sights on the inner platform that dominated the cavern, separated from the entrance by a stone bridge. Rows of arches surrounded a central pillar, lit from torches protruding from the different rings that surrounded the central piece. Mora walked forward, inspecting the pillar. It appeared to have a button, a very convenient, unassuming button. Mora spent a few moments glanced around for traps, perhaps arrows or falling stones, but saw nothing and gingerly pressed her palm onto the device. A spike immediately shot straight through her armored hand, almost sending her to her knees as she gasped in pain. She had no time to recover before she reeled away in surprise as the stones beneath her shifted, the pillar rising as a stone monolith ascended from the floor in a grind of stone. Mora nursed her wounded hand, watching in awe as the monolith opened slowly, one of the walls sliding back into the floor. A startled yelp escaped her lips as a woman fell out of the stone, Mora just fast enough to catch her in her arms.


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Serana registered was the cold metal of armor pressing into her flesh. Her limbs felt so heavy after such a long time without use, and she would have fallen to the floor had she not been caught in armored embrace of...someone. Confusedly, Serana turned her head to look, only to gasp in surprise as her eyes made contact with deep pools of emerald, surrounded by a metal mask. A dragon priest mask. The stranger quickly helped her upright, backing away a few paces, and Serana was glad for the distance. Giving the figure a once over, she deduced that they were a woman, judging by the obvious way her robes swelled around breasts and hips. She was shorter than Serana by a good three or four inches, and though she wore a sword on her back, a magical energy radiated from her, making the air feel heavy with power. She was a mortal too, judging by those green eyes. Serana smelled blood from the woman, her eyes immediately snapping to a wound in her palm. She was unable to stop her fangs from extending, it had been far too long since she had last fed, but she suspected this woman would not make an easy snack.

"Well isn't this...unexpected." The mortal's voice broke Serana from her thoughts, her voice oddly melodious, even though her mask made it slightly metallic, with an accent Serana couldn't quite place.

"Where is...who sent you here?" Serana backed away a step from the woman, who regarded her through that cold mask, her head tilted at a slight angle. This wasn't right. Her mother should have sent someone to get her, a vampire, not a mortal like this. Not one who radiated power so severely it permeated the very air. Serana felt a prick of fear, something she hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Oh, so you vampires want to talk now?" The woman asked casually, idly opening her injured palm, a golden glow settling into her skin as she healed her wound. Serana's fangs retreated at the diminished scent of blood. "Whom were you expecting?"

"Someone...like me." The woman's hand stopped glowing as she regarded Serana with sharp green eyes.

"A vampire, then." Serana shifted slightly.

"Yes." Serana's voice sounded small, even to her own ears, try as she might to cover the fear that was coursing through her body. The woman continued to pierce her with her gaze, watching her coolly, clearly unafraid at the prospect.

"The Dawnguard would want me to kill you." _Dawnguard?_ The woman stated it in a contemplative manner, as if doing such a thing would be mundane and trivial. Serana's hand twitched towards the dagger sheathed at her hip, but she relaxed it and let out a dry chuckle.

"Not fond of vampires are they?" Her mind raced, trying to figure out how much she could tell this woman, and how much she needed to tell her to avoid a fight. In her weakened state she doubted she had much of a chance against the woman. Maybe if she fed things would be different, but right now she had to avoid conflict.

"Well look," Serana raised her hands placatingly, "kill me, you've killed one vampire. But if people are after me, there's something bigger going on." She let out a shaky breath.

"I can help you find out what that is."

"Something bigger," the woman murmured, almost to herself. "How to suggest we do that?

"My family used to live on an island to the west of Solitude. I would guess they still do." Serena took a step forward, hoping to disarm some of the tension that hung in the air.

"By the way...my name is Serana, good to meet you."

"Mora," the woman responded shortly, before sighing slightly, one hand resting on her hip. "I suppose I can remove this gods damned thing then." The woman, Mora, raised her free hand to her mask and gently tugged it off her face, her hood sliding down in the process. Serana tried not to gape. Mora was an elf, apparent by her long pointed ears, which would explain some of her clear magical aptitude, but that was not what surprised Serana. While she had already noticed their difference if height, it became more pronounced now that this woman had no mask, and, at least at a glance, could never be described as _intimidating._ In fact, with her soft features and small freckles dotting the creamy skin of her cheeks, she looked like she should be living in a castle, with servants attending to her every whim. Not armored and running alone into vampire infested caves. Her brown hair hung in gentle curls down to her upper back, and Serana couldn't stop herself from following it to the smooth curve of Mora's neck, fangs threatening once more to make themselves visible as she felt another pang of hunger.

"Why do you have an elder scroll on you back?" The question shocked Serena out of her observations, and she took a few unsteady steps back.

"It's…" Serana held herself back, hoping that Mora wouldn't revert to any hostility at her response, "complicated. I can't really talk about it. Sorry." She finished, eyeing the other woman for a reaction. Mora simply shrugged, seemingly content with her answer.

"How long were you in there?" The mortal was very talkative all of a sudden, Serana mused, but indulged her all the same. Her voice was even more melodious after the removal of her mask.

"It's hard to say. Who is Skyrim's high king?" Mora grimaced, her brow furrowing slightly with the action.

"That's actually a matter for debate."

"Oh wonderful. A war of succession. Good to know the world didn't get boring while I was gone." Serana rolled her eyes. "Who are the contenders?" The mortal let out a dry chuckle, running a gloved hand through her hair.

"The Empire supports Elisif, but there are many in Skyrim loyal to Ulfric." Serena's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Empire? What Empire?" The elf quickly shot her a surprised look.

" _The_ Empire. From Cyrodiil." Serana fought a grimace at Mora's response.

"Cyrodiil is at the seat of an empire? I must have been gone longer than I thought…"

She trailed away, "Definitely longer than we planned. Please, let's hurry. I need to get home so I can figure out what's happened." The mortal shot her a pitying look, turning to face the bridge.

"Any idea how to get out of here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, things look pretty different since I was locked away." The elf shrugged, crossing the bridge to the main cavern. Serana began to follow, but walked no more than halfway across before the gargoyles lining the staircase came to life with the shattering of stone and unearthly howls. Instantly a sword was in the elf's hand, and before Serana could so much a blink, the first gargoyle's head rolled to the floor. Silently thanking the gods she didn't have to fight the woman, Serana conjured her own magic in her hands, firing ice spikes into the remaining gargoyle. With grace befitting her looks, Mora spun and dealt the gargoyle a flurry of blows, and it too fell to the ground dead. Serana bounded to her companion's side, watching as the woman nudged the large beast with the toe of her boot.

"They didn't do that on the way in," she mused, shrugging Serana's way. "Do you always get such warm welcomes?"

"At least _you_ didn't attack me," Serana laughed, "I'm sure my family's greeting will be icy enough." She could only pray that it was her mother she found back at the castle instead of her father. He was always colder, especially when she had last seen him. The elf simply hummed in response, and they continued their way through the cave. The next room they passed contained only a few draugr, which was simple enough for Serana and clearly child's play for the elf, who was both surprisingly strong and fast, despite the ease with which she used spells. It wasn't until the second room where things got a little more interesting. True to form, Mora blasted away the draugr with ease, but just as Serana was about to leave, the elf stopped her.

"Wait a moment. I can hear something." Serana strained her ears, but found herself unable to hear more than the knocking of bones as a stray draugr skull bumped its way down the steps. Mora crept silently to the side of the room, Serana following curiously, the elf trailing her hand over strange scratches in the stone wall. On further inspection, Serana recognized it as the language of dragons. Could the mortal read it? Seeing her other abilities, Serana could not be totally surprised, but still. Such a thing was virtually unheard of. The elf's hand stopped over a single mark on the wall, and she closed her eyes, breathing in deeply for a few moments as her body stilled. When she finally opened her eyes, her irises with covered in gold flecks, along with the usual emerald, that slowly faded to be replaced by the natural color. Serana watched, mesmerized, holding her breath as the woman let out a whisper.

" **Gaan.** " A small shimmer shook the air, traveling rapidly forward before dissipating into thin air. Serana felt goosebumps prickle along her skin at the reverberating noise, even though the elf had barely let out a sound. _A shout._ This small elven woman had just shouted. Serana knew what it was, she had heard stories about it before, even read about it in some books. But to see it, to feel it, was something she never thought she'd experience.

"Today just keeps getting more and more interesting." Startled, Serana looked up at the elf, who gazed back at her with a small smile on her lips. Serana couldn't agree more. Wordlessly, she followed the elf through the rest of the cave, and, for the first time in millennia, stepped out into the snow.


	4. Chapter 4

Serena took in a deep breath of air, glad to finally be out of the musty cave after so long. Skyrim was just like she remembered it. She took in the scattered pine trees dusted with white snow, and, being a vampire, she didn't mind the grey cloud cover that hung above them. She couldn't help the smile that curved her lips, enjoying enjoying the snow that drifted lazily around them. At Mora's gesture, they began to walk. They went on in silence for quite some time, before the elf turned to her.

"You need to feed, don't you?" Serana's eyes quickly moved to the elf's neck, before she tore them away to look into her emerald gaze, hoping the elf didn't notice.

"I...yes. It would definitely help." She tried not to sound too hopeful, it was foolish to assume the woman would offer something so intimate, but she couldn't help a twinge of excitement at the prospect of tasting Mora's blood. Mora simply gave her that contemplative look of hers, head tilted slightly to the side as usual.

"Does animal blood work?" Serana stifled a gag at the prospect, but nodded, knowing that it was her only option at the moment. When vampires fed from a willing individual, the process was nowhere near painful. Quite to opposite, in fact. She would never expect this woman to offer herself in that way, even though the prospect of it almost made her drool in hunger. Serana had smelled her blood in the cavern, and it was unlike anything she had experienced before. It held a hint of the usual scent of her kind, but that was the only resemblance. This woman had fire in her blood, and Serana could smell it.

"Wait here, I'll be right back." Serana nodded absently, thoughts still lingering on her traveling companion. Serana had lived long enough even before being locked away to know that she was physically attracted to the elf. Her creamy skin, her sharp eyes, her delicate pointed ears… She was very well endowed, considering her relatively short height, and she could fight like no one Serana had ever seen. There was a mysterious air about her, and while Serana was initially afraid at the aura of magic that seemed to follow the elf like a cloak, it was comforting to know that they were at least temporarily on the same side. Had the woman not been so obviously powerful, Serana would have tried to seduce her, but she didn't want to turn the woman against her, sensing it would be unwise to anger the elf. She had gone what was probably thousands of years without sex, she could wait a little longer, especially when she wasn't so hungry.

"I hope this will suffice." Serana turned, not hearing the elf approach her. She was dragging a deer behind her, blood oozing from a cut in its neck. Despite herself, Serana felt her mouth water at the prospect of finally having her hunger satisfied. Mora dragged the deer to her, then let it fall to the ground in a puff of snow.

"So...go at it, I guess," the elf began awkwardly gesturing at the deer, before rubbing the back of her neck with one hand. "We only have a few hours until nighttime, and I hope to find somewhere to sleep well before then." She agreed, despite being asleep for who knew how long, it was definitely a long day. Serana guessed that the elf had already been awake for quite some time, and was probably far more tired than she was. Turning to the deer, she fought not to gag as she sunk her fangs into its throat and began to drink. It was bland and off-putting, its blood weak and thin compared to what she knew was running in Mora's veins.

Once Serana had her fill the pair returned to their treck, searching for a suitable cave in which to spend the night. Serana for her part spent an equal amount of time admiring the scenery and watching Mora, as if to gleen some hidden secret from the mysterious woman. Mora definitely wasn't the most talkative person she had encountered, but that could be either the circumstance or how little they knew of each other. At least she hadn't put that dreadful mask on again, which now hung from a chord at her hip.

"Where did you get that, anyway?" Mora turned to her, confused, and Serana gestured to her hip. "The mask, that is. I've read about them before, but I've never seen one up close." Mora reached to the mask, pulling it gently from the chord and turning it in her hands.

"I took this mask from a Dragon Priest at Skuldafn. This is Nahkriin, vengeance. It is quite useful to a mage such as myself." She hesitated, before handing the mask to Serana. "You may try it on, if you wish." Serana's eyes widened, but took the mask and placed it gently over her face. The immediate surge of magical energy made her gasp aloud, it was no wonder Mora could use spells with such ease with something so powerful.

"It's…" Serana stopped speaking at the way the mask distorted her voice, giving it a metallic edge, and removed it before continuing. "I've never felt anything like that before." Mora smiled at her, accepting the mask as Serana handed it back to her and placed it back at her hip.

"It is a rush, isn't it? You should see my-" She cut off, Serana's eyes instantly snapped to the woman, who had tensed her entire body, left hand on the pommel of her sword.

"Not now. Why the _fuck_ does it have to be now?" Serana didn't know whether or not she should comfort the woman, whose eyes began to scan above the treetops.

"What are-" A deafening roar cut her off, making her flinch as her hands flew to her ears to protect them from the sound. _What the fuck is that?_ A figure caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she had her answer. A dragon banked over head, turning to swoop down on the pair. It was massive, more intimidating than Serana had ever imagined in all the books she read, its bronze scales just visible in the twilight.

" **JOOR ZAH FRUL!** " Serana staggered as the air pulsed around the elven woman, managing just barely to keep her footing in the snow. The dragon fared far worse, letting out a deep bellow of rage as its wings buckled and it met the ground with an earth-shaking crash.

" **YOL TOOR SHUL!** " Serana felt herself pushed backwards, Mora standing in front of her with a conjured ward. The flames of the dragon's breath curved around them, and all Serana could see was blinding orange, red and yellow light as the snow around them instantly evaporated. She shut her eyes, realizing more than ever that she was far out of her depth. The flames dissipated, and so did the roar of fire. Serena glanced at the woman still protectively in front of her, and saw that her shoulders were shaking. She took a step forward, worry crossing over her features, before Mora threw her head back, a clear smile spreading across her visage. She was...laughing? While that was strange enough by itself, something about Mora's laughter was...off. While her melodious voice still rang clearly around her, Serana could also hear whispers that seemed to echo around the trees, in a language she couldn't understand.

" **Mey. Hin sil los dii. Zu'u los thur. Zu'u fen du hi.** " Mora's voice reverberated in Serana's skull, the words shaking the trees around them, knocking snow loose from their branches. The woman approached the dragon, nimbly dodging its snapping teeth before dealing it a vicious blow to the snout with her sword. The dragon bellowed in fury, lashing out with its tail. Serana's heart lurched for one moment as she lost sight of Mora, only to see the woman reappear on the dragon's back. With ease, she plunged her blade deep into the dragon's neck, blood pouring from its mouth and snout.

" **Qiilaan.** " The single word rumbled through the air, Serana flinching as it washed over her. The dragon's massive body shuddered, before it stilled, limbs falling heavily to the ground in a swirl of loose snow. Mora leapt nimbly from the body, landing softly next to its side. Tentatively, Serana approached the elf, who stood, eyes closed, breathing heavily next to the dragon's carcass. A soft glow began to emanate from the dragon, growing brighter as its skin flaked away and spun through the air in a nonexistent breeze. Tendrils of light emanated from the dragon, coiling around Mora, who tilted her head back as if in ecstasy. The magic whipped her hair around her face, and as the woman opened her eyes Serana could see that they were flecked with gold, just as they had been in the cavern. Serana's mind raced back to the cave, with the language of dragons etched upon the wall. It seemed so obvious, looking back. Mora radiated power, and now Serana knew why. _Dragonborn._ She threw a glance at the woman, who now was shaking her head as if trying to clear it. Serena closed the distance between them, placing a tentative hand on the elf's shoulder. Mora flinched slightly at the contact, but just as Serana was about to pull away she turned towards her, keeping Serana's arm in place with a gentle hand.

"Why didn't you tell me you were Dragonborn?" Serana whispered, noticing how suddenly Mora looked very tired, the golden hue fading from her eyes.

"Would you have believed me if I told you?" Mora responded with a tired chuckle, swaying slightly in place. Serana frowned, but moved a gentle arm to her other shoulder, steadying her.

"Come on, you need some sleep. Let's find somewhere to rest for the night." Mora nodded limply, allowing herself to be lead by Serana. It didn't take long for them to come across a small overhang. It wasn't much, but Mora was about to fall asleep beside her and Serana was quite tired herself. Mora instantly flopped to the ground with a groan, and Serana gently lowered herself next to her. It didn't take long for the elf to fall asleep, her gentle breathing counting the seconds until dawn. Serena reached down, brushing some of the soft hair that fell over Mora's face. She looked so peaceful and small now, curled up next to her. It still amazed her that such a petite woman held so much power within her, even if she was the Dragonborn. Mora shivered slightly in her sleep, and she shifted, pressing her nose to Serana's breast. Smiling gently, Serana drew the smaller woman towards her, even if she wasn't as warm as a mortal she could still offer some protection from the elements. Serana closed her eyes, thinking about that accursed song she had heard so long ago, as she drifted into slumber.

 _Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes._


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, readers. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it. I want to extend a big thank you to Cheesehead2000 for the review, I appreciate the kind words. I also want to thank those of you who followed and/ or favorited this story, again I really do appreciate it. If you wish to comment or have any critiques, however severe, please review. I can take it, my writing had to start somewhere, after all.**

 _Ash rained from the sky. Flames roared all around her, blending with the screams of the village's inhabitants as they fled for the safety of Dragonsreach. Most were not lucky enough to make it. Either the flames or her blade cut them down, and she left them behind to burn with the rest of the city. She strolled slowly through the skeletons of smoldering buildings, bringing her sword arm up to lick the blood that dripped from the Ebony Blade. It was amusing, these mortals thought they could hide from her. As if Dragonsreach could protect them from the meteors that rained from the sky, smashing houses into rubble and setting the splintered beams ablaze. She laughed, the sound far more powerful than the voices of mortals, or the fire that raged around her. The ground shook with her mirth, and she knew they would hear. They would know she was coming for them. She wanted them to know. She wanted them to fear. Leisurely, she walked up the final steps to Dragonsreach, trailing her hand along the railing of the wooden bridge, setting it ablaze as she walked. She reached for the doors, only to find that they would not open. She rolled her eyes. As if they could stop her. Nobody could. With a word, the doors flew open, splintering the massive dining tables that created a barricade behind them._

 _At the end of the hall, she could see them. The last of the Whiterun guard, standing protectively in front of their Jarl. The remaining citizens must have been hidden further in. She whispered a word, unintelligible to the hearing of a mortal, and the guards fell limply to the floor._

" _Please, don't do this." Her magic boiled within her, and she let it flow into the room. The air grew heavy with power, crackling as raw magic arched between her fingertips. She would watch them all burn, and she would enjoy it._

" _Please." A woman stepped from beside the Jarl, kneeling in front of her, arms spread placatingly. She could see the tears in the other woman's eyes, her lip quivering in fear._

" _Don't do this," she began again, "I'm begging you." She put her blade to Lydia's throat, forcing the woman to tilt her head up and meet her icy gaze. More tears spilled from her soft brown eyes. She, at least, knew her place. She would be rewarded with a swift death. Tears continued to flow from Lydia's eyes, running freely down her face, but she remained still in her kneeling position._

" _Please." It was just a broken whisper this time, there was no hope remaining within her._

" _Mora-" Her blade sliced cleanly through the woman's neck, crimson blood splattering over the wooden floor._

" _Mora." Confused, she looked down at the severed head at her feet. How could it-_

" _Mora!"_

"MORA!" She woke with a start, bolting upright and almost smashing her head into Serana's, who was leaning over her with a look of deep concern. Mora's chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath, limbs shaking pathetically as she struggled not to vomit. She was soaked in sweat, her hair clung to her face, and she was unable to stop the tears that poured from her eyes, mixing with the sheen of sweat that coated her visage. Serana looked unsure of how to help, her hands hovering a few inches away from Mora's figure, before finally pulling her into an unsure embrace.

"I...I heard you yelling in your sleep," Serana began warily, "you were saying something about...Lydia?" Mora felt herself shudder, despite the strong arms that were wrapped around her. "If you want to talk about it...I'm here." Mora almost laughed through her tears, she was being so pathetic. This vampire, despite her demeanor, should be her enemy. And yet now she was being held in her arms like a child who had a bad dream. She took deep, steadying breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

"You...you can let go now." The arms retracted, allowing her to lay back down on the cold earth. She was unsure of how much she should tell Serana, only her few closest friends knew what she was going through. Serana seemed nice enough, she never gave Mora a reason to distrust her, but Mora could sense within her a power that she had not yet revealed. Even so, it was beyond hypocritical to fault her for such a thing, the woman had been nothing but forthcoming when questioned, and they were still barely acquaintances, there was no reason either should fully trust the other. And yet, there was something about Serana that was different from anyone else she had met. She was beautiful, Mora would have to be blind not to notice, but there was more to her than that. She gazed up into those glowing orange eyes, following the contour of her high cheekbones down to her pale lips, which were curved into a frown. He black hair hung just below her shoulders, braids sweeping to the back of her head. Her skin was pale, and it gave her an almost ethereal beauty, especially in the early rays of dawn that began creeping through the trees. The thing that struck her, however, was the fact that Serana seemed to genuinely care about her, at least on some small level. Most people either revered her only for what she was or feared her for the same reason. It was refreshing to feel human again, which was certainly ironic since her companion was a vampire.

"I-" Mora's voice cracked, and she swallowed thickly, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. "I was in a...fight. Months ago." Serana slowly layed down next to her, fixing her with a patient stare. Mora sighed, hoping that it would help to get at least some of the weight off her chest. "More than a fight, really. Have you ever heard of Alduin?" Serana nodded gently, but confusion was evident in her eyes.

"Of course. I've heard the legends and songs about him."

"You know what they say then, about him. 'And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold, that when brothers wage war come unfurled. Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound…'"

"With a hunger to swallow the world." Serana finished, confusion still etched on her pale face. Mora nodded, turning her head to look up at the brightening sky.

"He returned to Nirn, around the time when I found out I was Dragonborn." She heard Serana suck in a sharp breath, but continued doggedly. "I defeated him. As you have seen, when I kill a dragon I take their soul, and thus their power. I don't think Alduin is dead, but something similar happened when we fought." She struggled to hold back tears, grateful when Serana reached out and squeezed her hand in a comforting grip. "But you don't get to steal the soul of a god without a price. Ever since that day, I've had these...urges. It is in a dragon's nature to want to dominate, and I've always had that within me. But now it's different. Sometimes I feel this...hunger. I want to destroy everything in my path, no matter what or whom it is. I can feel it growing within me. You saw me fight that dragon earlier. It gets harder to control when I'm in battle. I'm sure you saw it." She paused, carefully looking back at Serana. She was surprised when she didn't see fear in the other woman's eyes, but concern. She cursed herself for the tears that threatened fall from her eyes.

"And this...Lydia? Did you…" Serana trailed off, but gave her hand another comforting squeeze.

"No. I've never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. I'm just...scared that maybe one day I will. That's what happened in my dream, I...I killed her as she begged for me to stop. I killed my best friend and I enjoyed every second of it." This time she was unable to stem the tears from falling, her shoulders shuddering with sobs. Serana's lithe arms wrapped around her once more, one hand holding the back of her head and pressing it into the taller woman's shoulder. It was stupid of her to allow this to happen. She shouldn't show weakness, especially not now when she was with a potentially threatening vampire. Yet, something kept her from walling herself away, and, just this once, she didn't try to stop the tears that began to soak into Serana's cloak.

They stayed like that for some time before pulling away, Mora turning away to scrub at her eyes.

"For what it's worth," Serana began, twisting her hands nervously, "I think you can fight this. I...I can tell that you're strong, in more ways than one." Serana gave her a small yet comforting smile. If only Mora could find it within herself to agree with her.

By the time the sun began to set, they could see the gloomy water of the Sea of Ghosts, mist swirling over its eerily calm surface. Neither had spoken much since the morning, opting to use their energy to quicken their pace and arrive at the small dock as soon as possible. Mora did her best to ignore everything that had happened in the early dawn, trying her best to be the stoic dragonborn that was known throughout Skyrim. She had a suspicion that it wouldn't work, however. Ever since she had cried into Serana's shoulder, she had broken an invisible barrier that was between them. They were at least now far more than strangers travelling together, though she could not yet call them friends. In any case, their relatively silent trek was a lot less uncomfortable than it had been previously, which was odd considering all that had been said earlier. Their arrival at the dock roused Mora from her thoughts, its ancient boards creaking with every step as they climbed into a small dilapidated rowboat. Mora deposited her pack on the floor, grabbing the oars and, with a few smooth stokes, sent them into the swirling mist.

It was only a few minutes before a black shape began to loom over them, a blurry outline in the fog, becoming clearer as they approached. Mora could make out black spires and a wide stone bridge leading to a castle large enough that she could not see the top through the low mist. As the small rowboat glided smoothly into the sand, Mora turned and arched an eyebrow in question. Serana had the decency to look apologetic as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Home sweet...castle."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello readers, thank you for the reviews and kind words. This chapter felt a little slow, but it is necessary for the progression of the story. As always, thank you for reading.**

* * *

Serana was unsure how she felt upon seeing her home for the first time in so many years. She felt a small twinge of anticipation, but it was easily overshadowed by unease. She had no idea what to expect when she entered. Ideally, she would be greeted by her mother. She was far less severe than her father, and their relationship had always been more friendly. They crossed the dark bridge, Mora warily eyeing the gargoyles grimacing at them on either side, and Serana could feel a surge of magical energy as the elf prepared to defend herself. Serana frowned, she was unsure of how warm her own welcome would be, but Mora's could potentially end in disaster. The woman was more than capable of defending herself, which was part of the problem. If it was her father that greeted them, their personalities would most certainly clash. Despite her strength, Serana doubted Mora would have much of a chance against Lord Harkon, should it come down to that. She wouldn't allow such a thing to happen, of course. The last thing she wanted was for the one person who had shown her such kindness to die.

"Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead." Mora gave her a stiff nod, and Serana hoped she understood at least some of the gravity of the situation.

"Lady Serana's back! Open the gate!" A voice rang from the keep, and the metal gate began to rise with the sound of grating metal. They both stepped inside, Serana looking to Mora only to find equal unease in the other woman's gaze. With a deep breath, Serana opened the wooden doors to Castle Volkihar.

"How dare you trespass here!" A vampire, Vingalmo, if she remembered correctly, ran towards them as soon as the doors were open. Serana stepped forward, putting a hand to Mora's chest as soon as she felt the woman's intention of drawing her blade. Serana shot her a look, shaking her head slightly.

"Wait...Serana? Is that truly you? I cannot believe my eyes!" He regarded her with wonder for a moment before dashing back the way he had come to a small balcony, shouting to the hall below, "My lord! Everyone! Lady Serana has returned!" She felt a hand at her shoulder, and turned to find herself captured in Mora's intense gaze, though her eyes danced slightly with humor.

" _Lady_ Serana?" Serana couldn't help but grimace.

"My father, Harkon, is the lord of Castle Volkihar." She didn't like the way Mora's face was slowly twisting into a grin.

"You're royalty?" The question was asked with poorly concealed mirth. "I'm so sorry, _your highness_ , I clearly haven't been treating you in a manner befitting of your princessly self." She bowed with an over exaggerated flourish, and Serana was unable to fight the grin that spread across her face.

"Come then, slave." She adopted her most regal tone,"It is time we meet my father." Serana carefully schooled her expression before descending the curved staircase into the main hall, Mora snickering softly behind her. The hall quieted as the pair made their way across the stone floor. Serana could feel the eyes of the court following her as she made her way to Lord Harkon, who had stood from his throne and walked around one of the large wooden dining tables to meet them. He looked just as she remembered him, his hair the same black shade as hers, the same sharp cheekbones, and the same orange eyes. He was muscular and tall, taller than her by a few inches, and towered over Mora as the pair reached him. He regarded them with the same cold, calculating stare she had come to despise, before opening his arms wide, addressing the hall as much as her, "My long-lost daughter returns at last. I trust you have my Elder Scroll?" Serana's eyes narrowed. Of course all he cared about after all this time was his precious scroll.

"After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll." She spat out the last word, hating the accursed thing for what it had done to her family, hating Harkon for his zealous greed for power.

"Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud?" He took a step forward, giving her what he probably thought was a disarming smile.

"Ah, if only your traitor mother were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike." Serana fought a shudder, her worst suspicions confirmed. So her mother was still in hiding, and Harkon was still trying to complete his foolish prophecy. It seemed that nothing had changed after all.

"Now tell me, who is this stranger you have brought into our hall?" Harkon fixed his gaze on Mora, appraising her with interest. No doubt he could sense the magical energy that she emitted as easily as Serana herself, she could only be grateful that the other woman had no injury allowing him smell her blood. She swallowed, before gesturing lamely to Mora.

"This is my savior, the one who freed me." Harkon had eyes only for the elf now, and his expression was far too predatory for her liking.

"For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Mora," the woman replied instantly, without a hint of fear in her voice, but Serana could hear her heart racing in her chest.

"I assume by now my daughter will have told you what we are," Harkon continued, his orange eyes flicking to Serana for a brief moment before returning to the elf.

"You're vampires." Harkon let out a deep chuckle, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

"Not just vampires. We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in Skyrim. For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which I valued most." Serana doubted that he was talking about her. She knew she shouldn't have let Mora come inside with her, there was no telling how she would react to all of this. She moved slightly closer to the smaller woman, hoping to offer some sort of comfort. With what Mora had shared with her so recently, it would be dangerous for her to get too riled from the danger that surrounded her.

"You have done me a great service, and now you will be rewarded. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter." Serana's eyes widened, surely he didn't mean-

"I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again." Serana's mind raced, she never would have thought Harkon would willingly offer his blood to anyone. As far as she knew, he had never personally turned any mortal. Perhaps it was the magic he could sense in her, he would think her a valuable addition to his court. Serana frowned in disgust. All he ever did was try to further his own ends.

"And if I refuse?" Mora's voice was as steady as ever, but her heart pounded even faster in her chest. She could hear a collective intake of air as the court waited to see Harkon's response with baited breath.

"Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your life this once, but you will be banished from this hall." Serana sighed silently, at least Mora would be able to leave unscathed. She couldn't deny the intrigue of the idea that Mora might accept his offer, however. She hated herself for thinking it, but Mora's beauty would be well suited to vampirism, as well as her proficiency with magic. It would only be a shame to lose the beautiful emerald that tinted her eyes.

"Perhaps you still need convincing?" Serana's eyes flew to Harkon, surely he wouldn't- "Behold the power!" Harkon's body convulsed, his bones snapping audibly as a dark cloud concealed his body, before he surged upwards, growing at least a foot taller in an instant as his transformation completed. He towered over them, muscles rippling over grey skin, gazing down at them through red eyes. Bat-like wings unfurled from his shoulder blades, and when he spoke his voice was warped, coming out gravelly and even deeper than before.

"This is the power that I offer. Now make your choice."

"I refuse." Audible gasps emanated from the court, and Serana couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. She would never have expected a vampire hunter to want such a thing, but the idea of Mora becoming a vampire like her, and maybe getting to know her a bit better, was certainly a temptation.

"So be it. You are prey, like all mortals. I banish you!" He raised a clawed grey hand, and before either woman could so much as move Mora disappeared in a swirl of black magic. Reverting to his human form, Harkon strode forward, adopting a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, completely ignoring Serana's hate-filled scowl.

"Now Serana," he eyed the scroll hungrily, "we have so much catching up to do."


	7. Chapter 7

Mora sat in her quarters at the College of Winterhold, eyes fixed absently on a small magelight that she twirled through her nimble fingers, the last vestiges of sunlight fading from the window. She had come to the college after storming away from Isran, with whom she was definitely no longer on speaking terms. Isran was less than thrilled that she had allowed the vampires to acquire an Elder Scroll, something that she couldn't much fault him for, until he wholly overreacted to the current situation.

" _Let's get this straight," he began to count off on his fingers, "You find a vampire with an Elder Scroll in Dimhollow, you help it escape, lead it to a castle full of vampires, give them the scroll, and then everything is perfectly fine and you go home. Am I missing anything here?" Sarcasm dripped from his deep voice, and Mora clenched her fists in rage at the scowl he leveled her way, and how the ridiculous tasks he wanted her to carry out. He thought he could send her to do all of his dirty work, and was currently trying to make her fetch some of his old friends and recruit them into the Dawnguard ranks. Such menial work was below both her skill and her stature, the indignity of it all making her splutter in rage._

" _She-"_

" _Oh isn't this rich. You never could ignore a pretty face, could you? First I catch you with Ingjard, and now you run off to spend a nice little vacation with a vampire. You'd best figure out which side you're on, girl, because right now you look like a real shitty vampire hunter." His head snapped back as Mora dealt him a swift blow to the jaw, and he toppled backwards with a grunt. Her rage finally overflowed, worsened by the unmistakable truth of his words, and she fought to keep from unleashing a torrent of fire upon the man as he struggled back to his feet._

" _Who I fuck is my business, fool." The walls shook as she allowed her thu'um to seep into her words. "If you think I'm about to run around and recruit for you and your pathetic organization, you have another thing coming." Forcing herself to calm down slightly, she stemmed the power from her voice, but hissed, "Whatever is going on here is bigger than either of us. I'm going to find out what it is. You can sit here behind your stone walls like the puny coward you are." Without waiting to hear his response, she stormed from the castle._

Mora sighed, resting her head in her hands. She had been on edge lately, which was probably what had ultimately caused her falling out. Normally, she would have returned to her small home in Whiterun, where she could either drink or fuck her problems away, but ever since the night she had that nightmare she felt uncharacteristically fragile. She wasn't used to feeling vulnerable, especially not in front of almost complete strangers. She felt like there was a darkness inside her that threatened to overcome her whole being. What she had shared with Serana was mostly a desperate attempt to keep it at bay, and while discussing her current state helped to temporarily alleviate some of her fear, it didn't last long. She had spent hours pouring over tomes in the Arcanaeum in a desperate hope that she would find something useful, but she found nothing. She had always been so sure of herself, so confident, but now she feared that any battle could break away the remaining restraints she had on her mind. She was used to being the most powerful person she knew, but now her own power could just as easily turn against her, ruining all she had worked so hard for in the past. She was Archmage, she was Listener, she was Dovahkiin, and she was scared. Finally standing from her chair, she plodded laboriously to her bed, grateful for the warm furs that covered the soft mattress. Being Archmage did have its perk, after all. Sighing softly, she buried her face in one of her many soft pillows, and soon drifted off to sleep.

The next few days went rather uneventfully, something that Mora couldn't complain about in the slightest. The college was a relatively quiet place these days, at least compared to most of Skyrim. Mora was quite content to spend her time practicing magic, it was one of the few things that could calm her nowadays. The students tended to give her a wide berth, and it was both refreshing and rejuvenating to finally have a small amount of relaxation, but as the week drew on she began to get slightly restless. Her earlier thoughts still plagued her mind, and she was not one to sit idle and let the events of Skyrim unfold under her nose, it could be said that she was a little too used to making history. She stood in her quarters, favoring a soft green tunic over her Archmage robes, focusing on a ball of fire she moulded in her hands. Fire had always been her favorite element, and as the glowing orb in her palms spun mesmerizingly, she found herself smiling wistfully.

" _Mora! Come back here this instant!" Her mother called to her from inside their home, her voice tinged with laughter. Mora giggled, running rather clumsily into her mother's embrace, and was promptly swept up in the woman's arms._

" _What have I told you, Mora?" Her mother tried her best to sound severe, but as always she failed miserably, and her mirth was plain in her melodic voice._

" _Wait until your father sees those singe marks all over our new table!" Her mother adopted a frown, but her emerald eyes sparkled with humor. They both knew better. It was after all her father, a tall Altmer with a trimmed beard and short chocolate hair, who had taught her magic to begin with. He would probably only laugh with that boisterous voice of his, and pull his small Nordic wife in for a kiss before asking about their day. Maybe later they would head outside, the three of them, guided by Mora's flickering magelight, and watch the stars._

How things had been different back then. She had almost forgotten what it was like to live without the weight of the world on her shoulders. With a sigh, she extinguished the light in her hands, blinking away the moisture that had gathered in her eyes, before she started at a knock sounding from the door.

Serana waited just outside the sturdy wooden door. At had taken her the better part of a week to find Mora, after she had left Castle Volkihar. The situation was worse than she had feared, and as much as she loathed to admit it, she needed Mora's help. It turned out finding the Dragonborn wasn't a very difficult task, and according to multiple tavern owners she seemed to be either at the college or in Whiterun when she wasn't off on some hair-brained adventure. She was however quite surprised when she showed up at the college's door searching for Mora, only to be asked whether or not she had an appointment with the Archmage. It seemed the elf had more than her fair share of influence over Skyrim, something that Serana began to suspect Mora abused regularly, judging by the knowing looks and giggles she received from barmaids every time she asked about the woman. She was about to knock again when the door opened, Mora glowering at her for a split second, mouth open as if to begin berating her, before her expression shifted to one of surprise. Her hair was let down, curling softly around her shoulders, and she wore a green tunic that accentuated her figure far better than her armor. Serana couldn't help the way her gaze roamed Mora's figure, before finally resting on those green eyes. Though she looked refreshed compared to the last time they had been together, Serana noticed a slight tinge of red to her eyes, but decided not to comment on it.

"Well...this is a surprise." Mora looked her up and down, probably noting the fact that she still had an Elder Scroll on her back, before stepping back and gesturing for Serana to enter. Curious, she looked around the large room. There was a garden dominating the centre, surrounded by enchanting and alchemy tables, along with several glass cases.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mora's voice echoed softly off the stone walls, she pulled a wooden chair next to a small desk, gesturing for Serana to do the same.

"You certainly are full of surprises, _Archmag_ e," Serana began, not entirely sure how to breach the subject of her exact reason for being here. Mora simply waved the comment away, laughter sparkling in her eyes.

"As are you, princess. To think little old me would meet a woman of royalty!" She placed a hand on her breast, feigning shock. Serana could play this game. She leaned forward, allowing her fangs to show as she grinned wickedly.

"I'm surprised, Mora. From what I heard from the local barmaids, you certainly meet a lot of women." Mora's eyes widened, her jaw hanging slack for a few moments before she snapped it shut, letting out a forced cough. She recovered quickly, glaring good-naturedly in Serana's direction.

"Keen on adding yourself to the list, are you?" Her previous embarrassment was gone from her tone, and Serana couldn't help but laugh, though her stomach did flutter slightly at the prospect. Instead of answering, she finally directed the conversation to more important matters, her expression losing its earlier cheer.

"I need to talk to you about the Elder Scroll I was buried with. You probably knew this already, but my father isn't exactly a good person." She took a deep breath, Mora watching her silently.

"He wasn't always like this. There was...a turn. He stumbled onto this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it." She removed the scroll from her back, setting it on the table between them.

"The prophecy said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. For someone who fancied himself as vampire royalty, that's pretty seductive." She sighed, thankful for Mora's silent attention.

"Anyway, my mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war with all Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was sealed away with the scroll. The problem is that we have to be able to read it for it to be of any use. A Moth Priest could do it, but I haven't the slightest clue where to find one..." She trailed off as Mora leaned forward, a slow grin spreading across her face.

"There was one here, not too long ago." Serana's eyes widened in excitement.

"Do you know where?" Mora's grin only grew as she stood from her chair, going to a chest against the wall and beginning to rummage around, before pulling out Nahkriin and her sword. She turned to Serana, her features alight with glee.

"I saw we're off to Dragon's Bridge."


	8. Chapter 8

They set out the following morning, Serana unable to hold back a smile at Mora's obvious glee to finally be on the move. Serana was garbed in her usual enchanted leather armor, an ebony dagger hanging at her hip, while Mora favored her strange grey robes, carrying her sword on her back, Nahkriin hanging from the cord at her hip. The pair set a clipped pace as they marched purposefully through the trees, both eager to reach their destination. Serana found herself less and less content with the silence that drew on between them, though Mora seemed completely at ease. In the end, Serana caved, finally getting the other woman's attention with a small cough.

"That sword, I've never seen anything like it before," she began, hoping to eventually glean some insight into the mystery that surrounded her elven companion. Mora drew her blade smoothly, its white blade dully reflecting the light that made it through the trees.

"It's made from dragon bone and ebony. I enchanted it both during the forging process and afterwards, I daresay there are no blades quite like it." She gave the sword a flourish, spinning it in her hand, before sheathing it swiftly.

"How fit for the Dragonborn, to wield a blade such as that." Serana spoke dryly, giving Mora a deadpan glance that the woman returned with a wide grin.

"And how fitting for a princess to wear such lavish armor." Serana frowned good naturedly, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"As if you're one to talk, I saw your room back at the college. It's even bigger than mine, and I live in a castle."

"You should see my other rooms," Mora shot back, mischief plain on her features, "they are far smaller." She lifted a gloved hand to her forehead in mock despair. "Living in such poverty…"

"Other rooms?" Serana questioned, raising an eyebrow incredulously. Mora dismissed it with a wave.

"I have something like four or five houses." She appeared to think for a moment. "Five, I think. I should probably feed my housecarls sometime this month." Serana gaped for a few moments, before tilting her head back and laughing loudly. Mora joined her, their combined glee ringing through the trees.

"You…" Serana fought to catch her breath. "You should probably _feed_ them?"

"Probably." Mora nodded, grinning. "Housecarls need to be fed and watered regularly. Though…" She appeared to be deep in thought for a moment. "Lydia definitely prefers mead to water."

"Lydia from your dream?" Serana regretted bringing it up as soon as she said the words. Mora's smile quickly faded, but she didn't appear angry at the question.

"Yes. The very same."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No, no it's fine." Mora cut her off, running a hand through her hair.

"Are you two close, then?" Serana hoped she wasn't pushing her luck, but Mora seemed not to mind.

"Yeah, I would say that we're like sisters, but that would be weird." Mora grimaced, pushing past a branch that hung in her way.

"Why is that?" Mora shrugged lightly.

"We have sex sometimes." She stated it in a matter-of-fact tone, but Serana's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in incredulity, before she noticed the smirk on Mora's face. The infernal woman was trying to fluster her.

"Well...I suppose Aela joins in as well," Mora mused, before shrugging once more, "The more the merrier, right?"

"So I hear." Serana muttered, stoically ignoring the sly grin Mora threw her way. "At least, it seems to be an ideal you employ regularly." Mora laughed in that melodic way of hers, her loud voice ringing through the air.

"That seems like a very fancy way of calling me a slut." It was Serana's turn to laugh, and she threw Mora a devious glance.

"I never said any such thing."

The day drew on in similar fashion, and while Serana did enjoy their conversations, she wished that she could find a way to learn more about the elf. So far, all she had been able to glean from their conversations was that Mora was a very influential and powerful individual, and that she had an apparent tendency to sleep around. None of it particularly useful information, but as they traveled together, exchanging light banter, Serana began to feel a warm tightness in her chest. The magical aura that the elf emitted had, at some point, changed from being an ominous weight, but was now a soft pressure, like a hand resting on her shoulder. It was comforting, and only added to the new emotions she was experiencing for the first time in so many years. As the sun began to set and the stars emerged one by one, Serana allowed herself a slow smile. It seemed that, for the first time in millennia, she finally had a friend.

They could see Dragon's bridge by midday, it's grey stone arching over a river that rushed loudly below. Grey clouds covered the sky, they had rolled in as the pair slept, and a certain gloom seemed to hang over the town. As they approached the settlement, it became apparent that something was very wrong. Mora gave Serana a meaningful look, and they increased their pace as they hastened to the bridge. The din of battle rose just above the volume of the rushing water, and both women drew their blades, breaking into a run as they rushed into the town. The remaining guards stood protectively in front of a group of cowering settlers, trying to fend off a group of vampires that lobbed magic at them from a short distance away. Mora broke into a sprint to make up the final yards, and Serana hastened to keep up with her.

" **WULD!** " The air cracked like a whip with the force of Mora's shout, Serana losing sight of her as Mora moved so fast she was barely a blur. In a moment she was in the middle of the group of vampires, and before they could even move two of them had already fallen to her blade, their ashes disappearing in the wind. Serana finally reached the fray, hurling ice spikes at the outer edge of the melee, careful not to hit Mora. The guards quickly rallied themselves, shouting battlecries as they followed Mora into the battle, no doubt spurred on by her presence. The sight of Mora fighting almost took Serana's breath away. She flitted from foe to foe with a grace that betrayed the ruthlessness in her strikes. Vampires who dominated over her in height staggered as they fought to block her sword, only to be cut down as Mora danced around them, her blade humming through the air with each strike. The vampires fell back, hissing furiously as they threw bolts of magic behind their shoulders. The guards began to cheer, and Serana smiled slightly, stemming the flow of magic to her hands. She noticed a faint flicker out of the corner of her eye, nothing more than a wisp in the wind. Her smile faded as she turned towards the slight disturbance, only to be replaced with horror as the shimmer moved swiftly behind Mora. _No!_ She opened her mouth to yell, but the invisible vampire had already put a dagger through Mora's back, its tip barely jutting out of her chest, blood already beginning to soak into her robes.

"Mora!" Serana's voice sounded desperately choked as she watched the elf stagger, before falling heavily to the ground, the handle of the knife jutting crudely out of her back. The cheers of the guards turned to screams, and Serana pried her gaze away from Mora's prone form to find the vampires renewing their attack on the settlers. _No, no, no._ Serana blinked back tears of frustration as she was forced to ignore the elf who lay dying in the dirt and defend the guards, who were once more overwhelmed. A few well placed spells left two vampires disintegrating into ash, but the guards were falling even faster than their foes. If they weren't all so close maybe she could-

" **Strun Bah Qo.** " Serana staggered as a wall of force slammed into her body, her very bones vibrating with the intensity of the Thu'um, which shot into the sky in a shockwave of pure force. The sky began to darken instantly, the clouds roiling like the sea, bolts of electricity jumping between them. All eyes were on the sky, neither party sure whether it would be better to keep fighting, or run for their lives. Serana tore her gaze away from the clouds, desperately searching for Mora amongst the carnage of battle. It began to pour, further obscuring their already limited vision in the darkness.

A lightning bolt tore from the sky, incinerating two vampires instantly. There was a single moment of silence as everyone gaped at the dust where the vampires used to be, before a thunderclap sounded loud enough to make all of them cover their ears. The village burst instantly into complete chaos. Most people ran for their houses, but the vampires were not so lucky. Bolt after bolt of lightning rained from the sky, killing most of the remaining vampires. Serana searched desperately for Mora, her hair clinging to her skin as the torrential rain buffeted her. She screamed, falling to the ground as a lightning bolt hit a house not ten feet away from her, the roof instantly catching fire. Sprinting to the center of the previous battle, Serana peared through the rain, even her enhanced eyesight unable to penetrate the storm. She could make out a single figure, who stood unmoving, surrounded by bodies. As Serana approached, she almost cried in relief as she recognized the figure as Mora.

"Mora!" She reached a hand out hopefully, only to find herself pressed into the muddy ground a moment later, a blade hovering at her throat. Mora stared impassively down at her, her green eyes now a pitch black. Her usually soft features had hardened into a cold mask, and Serana gasped as the blade began to draw a small amount of blood from her throat, which was quickly washed away in the rain. Lighting continued to touch down around them, illuminating the settlement for a brief moment before plunging them once more into darkness.

"Mora don't do this." She felt the woman's weight press into her, keeping her in place.

"I know this isn't you. You can fight this." Serana kept eye contact, despite the fear that rushed through her body as she looked into Mora's glassy black eyes. She felt the pressure of the blade at her neck diminish just a fraction, but she smiled up at Mora all the same. A roll of thunder crashed around them, making Serana fight to keep her composure.

"You can fight this. She repeated, hoping desperately it was true. Mora held her gaze for another second, before the elf tore herself away with a yell. Serana scrambled to her feat as Mora looked up at the sky, releasing her thu'um once more.

" **Lok Vah Koor!** " The shout split the air, briefly illuminating the terrain as Mora's legs gave way beneath her. The lightning stopped immediately, the rain following shortly thereafter. Slowly, the cloud dissipated, and the settlers emerged warily from their homes, gathering at the house that had caught fire, now only a smoking ruin of ash and blackened wood. Serana had eyes only for Mora, who lay unmoving in the mud. Serana rushed to her, gathering the woman in her arms. The dagger had missed her heart, otherwise she would be dead, but she had lost a massive amount of blood. The elf's face was gaunt and pale, a small trickle of blood running from the corner of her mouth. Her heart beat was weak, and if she wasn't healed soon her death was certain. Serana stood, holding Mora's dead weight in her arms. The woman wasn't easy to carry in her currently unconscious state, but Serana took no heed as she rushed into the tavern, setting Mora down gently on a large wooden table, supporting her back so the dagger wouldn't be pushed further into her body. Clumsily, she switched Mora's weight into one arm as she unsheathed her own dagger, swiftly cutting away the fabric of Mora's robes, leaving her upper body bare. She pulled the dagger partly out of Mora, swiftly healing the point at which the dagger protruded from her front, before flipping the woman to rest on her stomach, putting the tatters of her robes under her to protect her breasts and stomach from splinters. She began again to draw the dagger out of Mora's back, using one hand to send as much healing energy into Mora as she could. The dagger had gone in right next to her shoulder blade, missing her heart but definitely piercing a lung. The dagger finally emerged fully from the elf's back, and Serana flung it away carelessly, using her newly freed hand to channel more magic into the unconscious woman's body.

She remained like that for hours, sweating profusely at the energy it required to upkeep such a flow of magic. If she hadn't been proficient in blood magic, Mora would have stood no chance. As it was, color began gradually to return to Mora's skin, and Serana became more and more hopeful as time went on. She put the last of her reserves of magic into her spell before collapsing, barely holding herself up on the bench next to the table. As Mora began to stir weakly, moaning softly as the finally awoke, Serana's eyes drifted closed, and she rested her head on the table next to Mora's, falling into an exhausted sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, readers. I'm glad things are finally getting a little more exciting. I hope you enjoy reading these chapters as much as I do writing them. As always, review are greatly appreciated, any criticism is welcome and won't hurt my feelings. Enjoy!**

Mora opened her eyes slowly, groaning as waves of pain coursed through her body. With a jolt, she remembered the events of the day before. She had lost control. She almost panicked, trying to remember if she had killed any innocent people, but as she hastily tried to sit up, the pain in her back and chest was too great and she slumped back down to the hard wood with a groan. She had been put on her stomach, and her neck ached from being in the same position for so long. She saw Serana, whose head was next to her own, her dark hair splayed out over the table as she slept. Mora tried to get her bearings. She seemed to be in a tavern, judging from the tables and chairs adorning the large room. She wasn't wearing her Archmage robes, but since she couldn't even move her body she didn't much care for her modesty at the moment.

"Se-Serana." She gasped out the word, her whole chest aching with the effort of speech. The vampire stirred sleepily for a moment, but then sprang up as if she remembered where she was. The taller woman quickly stood, putting a gentle hand to Mora's forehead to check her temperature.

"Shhh. You shouldn't talk right now. It's a miracle you're even alive."

"The...the townspeople. Are they alright?" She couldn't help the hint of panic that crept into her voice. Serana frowned, removing her pleasantly cool touch from Mora's skin.

"Some died in the battle, but none because of the storm. You saved them, Mora." She breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew that it was only sheer luck that had kept her nightmares from becoming reality.

"Please, turn me over. My neck is killing me." Some water would be equally welcome, if she could judge by the broken sound of her voice. Serana gripped her side, gently rolling her so she rested on her back. Mora grimaced in pain as she was moved, unable to stem the pathetic whimper that left her throat.

"Sorry." Serana murmured, sitting once more on the bench beside her, before blushing lightly at Mora's current state of undress.

"I'll get you something to cover up." She stood swiftly, exiting Mora's vision as the elf looked up at the wooden ceiling, waves of pain coursing through her body in heavy pulses that left her shuddering for air. In a minute or so Serana returned, gently covering her body with a blanket before sitting once more at her side.

"The villagers...what do they know? About what happened earlier." Serana sighed, raking her slender fingers through her hair, which was far messier than Mora had seen it before. She would be willing to bet that she looked far more worse for wear, however. She definitely felt like it.

"Probably not much. I told them earlier to leave us alone while I healed you, but I haven't left this building since I took you here."

"How long ago was that?" Serana shrugged.

"You were out a full day. This is the second day after the attack. As far as I'm concerned, none of them have broken in here and demanded for your head on a spike. You need to stop worrying about them, you didn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it." Mora shook her head.

"The house…" Serana flinched at that, and Mora's hurt sunk. "Serana please tell me."

"Look, I'm sure they know it was an accident. I doubt they even fully comprehend what happened back there, none of them saw you after you were stabbed, they all ran indoors." Mora looked at her, disbelieving. She knew better than most the tolerance what the natives of Skyrim showed outsiders. Even though she had saved Skyrim from certain destruction there were those who despised her every breath, just for being who she was. Not many people knew of her mixed heritage, most thought she was fully Altmer. Elves received enough hate in Skyrim, and there were those who resented that an elf should acquire the title of Dragonborn instead of a Nord. Ulfric certainly felt as such. It would be all too easy for the people of Skyrim to turn against her, even after all she had done for them. Mora didn't grow up in Skyrim, but she had spent so many years here that it felt like home, despite how there were those who told her otherwise. Not everyone was against her, however. Most people heralded her as a hero, and she received plenty of preferential treatment wherever she went. It was a vocal minority, most often Stormcloaks, who hated her for what she was. She didn't particularly care whether or not people approved of her, but she didn't want to give them another reason to try and execute her. Especially if that reason was allowing her rage to take over and ending an innocent life. She doubted she could forgive herself if such a thing were to occur. She turned to look at Serana, who still sat by her side, tending to Mora's wounds. A pang of...something shot through her. Serana was what had stopped her that day. She had risked her own life, and had saved the whole settlement because of it. Now that she thought about it, Serana's presence offered her a certain comfort, even without her noticing. Before she had been injured, she had been in complete control, despite the carnage around her. She only lost control when she was on the verge of death, and that was something she had no intention of repeating. Serana finally noticed her watching, and gave her a small but questioning smile.

"Serana…" Mora reached out, and Serana gently took hold of her fingers, her hand pleasantly cool in Mora's fingers. "Thank you." She tried to convey her full meaning by giving the vampire's hand a feeble squeeze. Serana merely smiled, before she removed her hand and returned to her healing.

They spent two weeks in the settlement, moving to a room in the tavern as the town returned gradually to normal. Serana tended to her wounds each day, and while Mora didn't enjoy being trapped inside almost all the time, Serana's presence made it bearable. Early in the second week, Serana had heard of a ransacked cart across Dragon's Bridge, where a fight had clearly taken place. Upon investigation, she had found a note for one of the vampires to bring the Moth Priest to Forebears' Holdout. The villagers had told her it was not far East of the settlement, and Mora was itching to finally be on the move once more. Serana had also taken the time to have Mora's robes repaired, with Mora herself fortifying its enchantments. Thankfully, it was as Serana had expected, and the villagers were nothing but grateful for Mora's timely appearance two weeks before. The fire was written off as a mistake, though Mora suspected they would be angrier had they not been so scared of her, and none of them knew that Mora had almost lost control of herself that day. The elf was no longer feeling pain from her injuries, and the pair decided to head out to Forebears' Holdout on the morrow, making their final preparations before they resumed their venture. Mora was nothing but grateful for Serana over the weeks she spent healing. It was strange, at first, having her life be in the hands of a vampire. But Serana had been nothing but considerate, caring, and gentle, and Mora's unease melted away at her cool touch. At first she chalked it up to her a-little-too-well-known weakness for pretty faces, but that wasn't the case. Serana was clearly more than that, and the time they spent together only made Mora's affection for her grow. She was beautiful, of course, but what drew Mora to her was her calm assurance, her clear resolve, and the hints that Serana occasionally gave off that belied much more strength and brutality than she tried to show. It was intriguing, and enticing in a way that Mora had not felt for a long time. That night she fell into an easy sleep, excited to be on the road once again, her dreams filled with tantalizing visions of a certain black-haired vampire.

They awoke early, just before dawn's light, and set out for Forebears' Holdout. Mora felt an extra spring in her step as they walked, and they soon reached the cave, nothing more than a small opening in a small rock face, and slipped inside. They followed a narrow tunnel for a few moments, before emerging in a massive grotto. It was of a similar grey stone to Dimhollow Crypt, but more open. There was a pulsing magic wall on the far end of the cave, separated from them by a river that rushed under a small stone bridge. The whole cave was dotted with moss, water echoing loudly as it dripped from the high round ceiling. A small stone fortress had been constructed on the other side of the river, its stone walls lined with gargoyles, glaring grotesquely from their perches. The magical field at the very back of the cave emitted a faint hum as it pulsed a dull blue color, the Moth Priest most likely trapped therein. The pair quickly made their way to the bridge, Serana disposing of two Death Hounds from a distance, her magic quiet enough to keep anyone from getting wind of their presence. They crept up silently to the fortress without incident, but as soon as they entered the walls they were seen by two thralls, who raced towards them with angry cries. Mora smoothly drew her sword, allowing her breathing to slow, even as her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

 _In._

The thralls drew nearer, one hanging back to notch an arrow to a thin wooden bow.

 _Out._

The first thrall continued to race towards them, raising a longsword above his head, ready to strike.

 _In._

The second thrall took aim, the first only a second away.

 _Out._

Mora spun, easily dodging the arrow meant for her heart, her blade hitting the thrall's with such force it sent his sword spinning from his hand and clattering over the stone floor. He seemed surprised for a moment, an expression that was forever etched into his features as Mora decapitated him with a flourish of her blade. The second thrall, a female, had just enough time to reach for a second arrow before Serana dispatched her with an ice spike to the throat, the thrall gurgling wordlessly before toppling to the ground. Mora allowed herself a flash of approval at their teamwork before they hurried up the staircase to the battlements, quickly nearing the magical barrier. The battlements led them to a large platform, raised to the height of the fort walls, three vampires waiting for them in front of the field of energy. Two of the vampires rushed at them, firing spells of electricity. Mora held out her right palm, instantly erecting a pulsing golden barrier to shield them, Serana hurling spells at an impressively quick rate as the pair approached the vampires in tandem. One vampire fell to Serana's spells, letting out one final shriek before turning to a grey dust that matched the stones. The second was just as easily killed, Serana lazily flicking her wrist to send a bolt of electricity to his chest, his body disintegrating just as quickly as the last. It was the third that proved more trouble, and seemed to be the leader of the trio. He sent spell after spell into Mora's shield, some of which were strong enough to make her stumble back slightly. She scowled at the thought, it wasn't often someone could challenge her magical strength. The vampire was even able to deflect Serana's spells with relative ease.

"Yes, I can feel your defenses crumbling. You want it to end. You want to give in to me." The words echoed in Mora's head, making her feel dizzy for a brief moment. Almost without conscious thought, she lessened the energy to the barrier, only to feel a firm hand on her shoulder. Turning, she found Serana's orange eyes burning into her own, the other woman firmly shaking her head. Mora quickly recovered, the shield once more at full strength.

"He's trying to entice you. To make you his thrall." Serana glared at the vampire, who was laughing smugly. "I'm not going to let that happen." Mora felt foolish for almost falling for such a simple trick as that, of course more powerful vampires were able to sway the minds of mortals. She felt a rush of anger. It was an obvious tactic, and she should have been prepared for it. Bolstering her resolve, she began once more to move forward, her golden shield shining brightly in the gloom of the cave, deflecting the vampire's spells with a renewed strength. She could use a shout, but Serana was standing right next to her, and would either be deafened by the noise or knocked out of the shields protection from the resulting shockwave of air. She clenched her jaw in frustration.

"Serana," the vampire laughed, "you really think you and your pet can-"

" _I_ think you need to shut the fuck up." Serana stepped smoothly from the protective shield, channeling raw electricity into both hands before unleashing it at the vampire. It surged through the air, Mora squinting at its momentary brightness. The vampire flew backwards from the massive force of the magic, making contact with the stone wall even as he began to turn to ash. Mora's eyes widened in astonishment as his ashes drifted to the floor.

"That was…" _Hot._ "Impressive." Serana merely laughed, her voice echoing from the stone walls.

"You're not the only one who can lose her temper, little elf." Mora's eyes narrowed.

" _Little_?" She knelt, searching the remains of the vampire, pulling a cube that pulsed with a magical light. Serana laughed once more, following Mora as she took the cube to a pillar not far from the barrier, with a small indent of the same size as the glowing cube that pulsed in her hand.

"Have you seen yourself? If you didn't shout like a banshee you'd be positively adorable." Mora slammed the cube into place before whirling on Serana, allowing her rage to manifest in her voice, shaking the walls of the cavern with her words.

"SHOUT LIKE A WHA-"

"But my master is dead, and his enemies will pay!" The magical barrier had disappeared, and an old man hobbled towards them, brandishing a small sword.

"Oh dear," Serana deadpanned, "it seems we've upset him." Mora laughed, winking at Serana.

"Yeah looks like-" A fireball hit her in the side, momentarily lighting her robes on fire, a small yelp of surprise exiting her throat before Serana put the fire out with a spell, thoroughly soaking her upper body. Mora saw red.

"I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL HIM!" The cavern shook once more as her fury rushed into her voice. Serana held her back, noticeably rolling her eyes.

"See? Like a banshee." Mora was about to round on her when she spoke again, this time more soothingly, albeit in a slightly condescending manner.

"We can't kill him, he's the Moth Priest. You know, the one we need to read the Elder Scroll." Another fireball flew past the pair, and they once more focused their attention on the old man.

"He does seem quite distraught." Said Mora contemplatively. She wrenched her arm away from Serana's grasp, rushing the old man, easily evading his wild swing. She flipped her blade slightly, giving him a solid whack to the head with the flat of her blade. The man instantly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"I'm glad you handled that so calmly." Serana strode towards her, eyebrow raised slightly. Mora gave her a rude gesture in response, but she couldn't help the laughter than shone in her eyes, nor the warmth that bubbled in her breast.


	10. Chapter 10

The Moth Priest began to stir a short time later, groaning and rubbing the spot on his head where Mora had hit him, which was quickly turning into a large lump near his forehead.

"Wha...Where am…" His eyes widened suddenly as he seemed to remember what had happened. "I-I'm so sorry! That wasn't me you were fighting. I could see through my eyes, but I couldn't control my actions. Thank the divines for you!"

"Yes, yes." Mora waved away his praise, scowling slightly. Serana couldn't help but grin as the poor man glanced apologetically at Mora's burnt robes, before turning to her instead, most likely in an attempt to escape Mora's wrath.

"Dexion Evicus is my name. Moth Priest of the White Gold Tower. These vampires claimed they had some purpose in store for me, but they wouldn't say what. Probably hoping to ransom me, the fools." Maybe the man was going blind in his old age, Serana contemplated. After being captured by them, she would think he would be able to recognise a vampire.

"I know why they needed you, because we need you for the same purpose." He eyed her warily, no doubt reliving his brief time as a thrall.

"You do? Alright then, enough mysteries."

"We need you to read an Elder Scroll." The man's eyes widened in wonder, and he perked up visibly.

"You have an Elder Scroll? Remarkable! I will be happy to assist you with your Elder Scroll, just tell me where we need to go." Serana gave him a small smile, gesturing for him to follow them out of the cave.

"The College of Winterhold."

Their journey back to the college was uneventful, save Mora's muttered complaints about the cold weather. They arrived at the college soon enough, and they traipsed into Mora's quarters to retrieve the scroll. Mora rummaged through her large chest, retrieving the item and handing it to Dexion, who stared at it reverently, holding it like a newborn baby.

"Are you prepared to read the scroll?" The man started, his fervent gaze broken, but a wide smile split his wizened face.

"Oh, most certainly! Let's find out what secrets the scroll can tell. Now, if you will please be quiet, I must concentrate." The old man unfurled the ancient scroll, his eyes glowing softly, Serana thinking of how much it reminded her of what Mora's did when she read the dragon language.

"I see a vision before me, an image of a great bow. I know this weapon! It's Auriel's Bow!" He swayed slightly where he stood, eyes continuing to glow eerily in the flickering torchlight of Mora's room.

"Now a voice whispers, saying 'Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise. In the age of strife, when dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light and the night and day will be as one.'" Serana glanced at Mora, trying to gauge her reaction. The elf's face was impassive, but her eyes burned with intensity as she focused her whole attention on the Moth Priest.

"The voice fades and the words begin to shimmer and distort. But wait, there is more here. The secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think there is more to this prophecy recorded in other scrolls." _Other scrolls?_

"Yes I see them now…" Dexion continued, "One contains the ancient secrets of dragons, and the other speaks of the potency of ancient blood." Serana perked up as she heard the words. Her mother had two scrolls, one that she had entrusted with Serana. She had a pretty good idea of where her mother could be, but she had never heard anything of the other scroll. Hopefully the Moth Priest would be able to help in that regard.

"My vision darkens, and I see no more. To know the complete prophecy, we must have the other two scrolls. I must rest now, The reading has made me weary." The glow in Dexion's eyes faded, the old man swaying once more where he stood. Dexion hobbled tiredly from the room, leaving Mora and Serana alone. The elf began once more to rummage through her chest, muttering quietly.

"I think I know where we can start looking for one of the scrolls." Serana said, trying to peer over Mora's shoulder as the elf continued her fervent search. "How big is that chest anyway?" The elf was almost shoulder deep, face scrunched in concentration.

"It's…" Mora panted, "Bigger on the inside...Aha!" She pulled a large object out of the chest, Serana rushing to catch the smaller woman in her arms as the momentum of the object sent her reeling back. Serana gently pushed Mora to her feet, but the elf didn't even seem to notice that she had almost fallen over in her excitement.

"And you know where the last scroll is too?"

"The last-" Serana finally got a good look at what Mora was holding, and her jaw dropped. The elf held an Elder Scroll in her arms, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

"How did you get that?" Serana managed meekly, as Mora continued to bounce excitedly, in a way Serana might have found cute if she wasn't completely dumfounded.

"I used it to learn a shout to fight Alduin." Mora waved away the question, as if keeping priceless artifacts in her room was a regular occurrence. Serana supposed that it wasn't far out of the question. "Anyway, you said you know where another scroll could be?"  
"Yes, actually. My mother told me she'd hide somewhere my father would never think to find her. I think she's at Castle Volkihar. He would never think to look for her right under his own nose." Mora seemed to contemplate the idea, before nodding.

"Hiding in plain sight. It's dangerous, but it can be...effective."

"My mother is no coward, but I doubt we'll run into her there, she'll be more cautious than that. We can get in through an unused inlet on the northern side of the castle. An old escape tunnel exits there, I think that's our way in." Mora gave her a wide grin.

"Sounds perfect. Before we set out for the castle I need to do a few things in Whiterun, if you don't mind. I've taken one too many daggers in the back and I think it's time for some modifications on this old thing." She gestured to her robes, still bearing a large blackened mark where she had been burned.

"Besides," she added, "you haven't met my friends yet."

The guards before the gates of Whiterun gave them a sharp salute as they passed, greeting Mora in tones of respect. The sun had just begun to set as the pair reached the city, which was beginning to lose its usual daytime bustle as the residents moved into the taverns or their own homes. Serana spotted a few children playing hide and seek, flitting between homes with giggles of joy, before scurrying out of her line of sight. Mora led her to a small wooden home not far from the gates of the city, and opened the door. The home's interior was small but cozy, a fire was lit in the hearth and pot of stew bubbled warmly above it. Serana heard shuffling from upstairs, and soon a woman appeared on the staircase, wearing a simple frock, though she held a sword in her hand, no doubt hearing their intrusion. She had hair of a similar color to Mora's, but had brown eyes, and was slightly taller than Serana herself.

"Mora!" The elf grinned, opening her arms for a hug, and the other woman rushed forward, dropping her sword on a nearby table before sweeping the elf into her arms, completely lifting her off the ground, even as she began to berate her.

"You've been gone at least three months, you leave no note, you didn't even make your bed for gods' sake, and for all Aela and I knew you could have been dead! I have half a mind to put you over my knee and spank you, but you'd enjoy it too much wouldn't you, you little-" Serana's eyes made contact with the other woman's which widened and she hastily set Mora down, probably a little too forcefully since the elf fell straight to the floor, clutching her ribs and groaning slightly.

"You didn't tell me we had company." The woman glared at Mora, who still lay on the floor holding her side, but managed to gasp a few words.

"Couldn't...breathe...Lydia...meet...Serana." The woman walked forward, giving Serana a bright smile, extending her hand in greeting. Serana shook it, watching as Mora slowly clambered to her feet, using the table to help herself stand. Lydia rounded on Mora once more.

"What have you been doing all this time anyway?" Mora looked up, eyes watering slightly as she finally regained control of her breath.

"I went to help the Dawnguard for a while, but it turns out they're a bunch of bigots so I helped this kind woman instead." She began to inspect her fingernails. "We're going to save the world, or something." Lydia rolled her eyes, turning back to face Serana.

"So who're…" Her eyes widened as she peered more closely at Serana, before suddenly diving to the side and gripping her sword. With a cry, she rushed at Serana, who was ready to roll to the side when Mora appeared in front of her, catching Lydia's wrist and wrenching the blade away from her.

"Serana is a friend," she said firmly, "she isn't like the others." Lydia glared first at Serana, then at Mora, but she seemed to accept the elf's words.

"You hurt my wrist." She said sulkily.

"You hurt my ribs." Mora shot back. They glared at eachother for a few moments.

"Want to go drink?" Lydia asked. Serana rolled her eyes. This couldn't end well.

Serana found herself wedged between a very drunk Lydia, and another woman, equally drunk, with red hair and war paint who had introduced herself as Aela. Mora was talking to some of the other residents of Jorrvaskr, wobbling slightly as she fought to form coherent words. Serana herself had drunk quite a bit of mead, but her vampirism kept her from getting quite as inebriated as the two women next to her.

"So cute." Aela said fondly, gesturing to Mora, who was currently trying to use one hand to steady herself against a table as she tipped back yet another mug of mead. "She's such a lightweight." Lydia hummed in agreement, before turning to Serana, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"So...our resident Dragonborn has taken a fancy to vampires now, eh?" Serana, glad she could no longer blush, opened her mouth to deny any such thing, but Aela was faster.

"I guess we weren't kinky enough for her. That's something, considering..." She trailed off, before Serana up and down, making her squirm slightly under her scrutiny. "You're definitely her type." Aela leaned in confidentially before whispering, "She likes them tall." She gestured between the three of them.

"And curvy." Lydia added.

Serana wished she could melt through the floor.

"I haven't...we haven't…" Lydia laughed leaning in just like Aela.

"Come now, Mora is the most notorious womanizer in Skyrim. I mean, look at her." Serana looked up, and sure enough, Mora was leaning, in what she probably thought was a casual manner, against a table, talking to a giggling barmaid. Serana scowled for a moment, a pang of anger rushing through her, before she suppressed it, annoyed that the emotion had appeared at all.

"No, really. We haven't...done anything." The two women stared at her with incredulity, until Aela broke the silence with a low whistle.

"Damn. She must either really like you, or she's terrified of you."

"Maybe both." Lydia chimed in.

"You're really telling us that you've known Mora for at least a month, and she hasn't tried to get into your pants? You've got to be kidding me." Aela crossed her arms, looking at Serana with new found interest. Serana couldn't help but toy with thoughts about what would happen if Mora attempted just that, but did not enjoy the devious looks growing on the faces of her two companions.

"I'd say it's only a matter of time. Especially since she's drunk right now. I suppose we may as well give you a few tips." Aela nodded vigorously, pouring herself more mead.

"For starters, don't let all her fire fool you. In bed, she loves to be dom-"

A loud crash startled the trio, and Serana breathed a sigh of relief. Mora had managed somehow to knock over a large pitched of mead, much to the displeasure of the hall's many drunken residents. Lydia sighed lightly.

"Let's get her out of here before the fight starts." Lydia deadpanned, as if such a thing were a common occurrence. She stood from her seat, walked calmly to the Dragonborn, who was completely oblivious to what she had done, picked her up, putting the smaller woman over her shoulder, and carried her out the door. Serana stared blankly for a few moments, before Aela shrugged and gestured for them to leave. They stood from the table and left the hall, just as the sounds of a brawl began to sound from inside. Serana shook her head, following Aela to Mora's home. All she wanted at the moment as a very, very cold bath. Despite how uncomfortable she was with the discussion in the hall, she couldn't deny the want emanating from her abdomen. During their travels, she had been far too occupied put much thought into the matter, but she could no longer deny what she was beginning to feel for the small elf. Maybe it was that she had been so long without either a friend or a lover, but Mora made her feel a way she hadn't felt in a long time, even before she had been hidden away. Mora made her feel... _good_. Serana smiled slightly as she and Aela slipped inside the door to the small home. Despite the hardships that no doubt awaited them, maybe the future didn't look as bleak as she had thought.


	11. Chapter 11

Serana stepped across the threshold of Breezehome, Aela pulling two chairs towards a small wooden table and gesturing for her to sit. They casted dancing shadows over the walls in the light of the dwindling fire, Aela regarding her shrewdly. Serana frowned as the other woman's scrutinizing gaze roamed her figure, before finally meeting her eyes once more. Aela opened her mouth to speak, but looked up at the noise of Lydia plodding down the stairs, staggering slightly from the effects of the mead. The tall woman joined them at the table, pulling up a chair of her own, before sitting down heavily.

"I put her to bed. She fell asleep the moment we got back here." Aela nodded, seemingly used to Mora's inability to handle her drink. It was cute, in a way, Serana thought to herself. Mora's strength and magical potency was completely at odds with her relatively small stature, though it seemed she wasn't able to break past such boundaries in respect to her tolerance for alcohol. Even though it was a minute detail, Serana hung onto as though it it were precious. She didn't know much about Mora's life before she met her, though with each passing day she found herself wishing she did. Mora's occasional lapses, her dreams, her fears, even her apparent lack of control around mead felt strangely important to Serana. Because they were all part of _her_.

Mora could call lightning from the sky. She could breathe fire and and slay dragons with only her voice. She could fear, she could cry, she could laugh. Serana realised that she wanted all of it. Mora's laughter, her tears, her hopes. Somewhere during their adventures, their battles, or their struggles, Mora ceased to be simply a passing fancy or fleeting desire. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman Serana had ever set eyes on, by far the most powerful, but somehow she managed to be kind, funny, and surprisingly gentle. Warmth rushed through her body at the thought, filling her breast with a pleasant tightness. There was only one more thing Serana wanted Mora to become, and that was hers.

"Serana?" She started at the noise, her orange gaze flicking to Lydia, who was regarding her with slight confusion.

"Yes?" Aela rolled her eyes, standing from the table with a yawn before she stretched languorously.

"We were discussing sleeping arrangements. I could find a bed for you in Jorrvaskr, unless, of course," she smirked, walking to the door as if she already knew the answer, "you want to stay here."

"Here is fine, thank you." Serana said in a clipped tone, trying to ignore both Aela's parting wink, and the butterflies in her stomach. Lydia simply shrugged as the door clicked shut, gesturing towards the stairs.

"Well you're certainly not taking _my_ bed. Besides, Mora has never complained about waking up next to a beautiful woman." Serana looked up sharply, eyes narrowing as she took in the other woman's words.

"You mean to say there are only two beds here?" Lydia looked at her incredulously for a moment, before bursting out into laughter.

"Did you not listen to any of our conversation? We only have two here, but Mora's is big enough to sleep half the town, so you'll have plenty of space if you want to." She regarded Serana thoughtfully for a moment. "Though, she might prefer it if you don't." Serana simply shook her head, climbing the stairs as Lydia called out, "On the right!"

A few candles lit the upper floor, but the rooms were bathed in darkness. Serana's vampiric eyesight was just barely able to pierce the dimness as she entered Mora's room. Despite Lydia's obvious exaggeration, Mora's bed was undoubtedly massive. The smaller elf was curled up on one side, her brown hair fanning out over the pillows, which numbered more than Serana cared to count. The bed itself took up the better part of the room, filling the whole width. There were cushions on both walls by the side of the bed, presumably to keep its occupant from bumping into the wood while sleeping, or getting splinters during more vigorous activities. Occupying the rest of the room was a large chest, and a small cabinet presumably containing clothes. Serana began to slip off her own outer clothes, giggling softly to herself at the contrast between Mora's massive bed and the rather small elf, who looked like she was in the middle of a vast ocean of soft sheets and pillows. Silently, she slipped under the sheets, hesitating a moment as she began to relax. She felt a twinge of hunger, and despite her best efforts, her eyes shot immediately to Mora's exposed neck. Not that she would ever do such a thing without the woman's consent, but the prospect of sinking her fangs into that expanse of smooth skin sent heat straight to her abdomen. Perhaps it would be better to leave a bit of space between them tonight, just to make sure. Though, if Serana had her way, she'd have Mora beneath her, writhing in pleasure as Serana devoured the heady essence of her blood. The thought made Serana lick her lips, thinking on the time back in Dimhollow Crypt when she had first smelled the elf's blood. It was like nothing she had experienced before, and her fangs elongated at the thought of getting a taste. Her eyes flicked once more to the elf's smooth neck. _No, Serana._ She forced herself to close her eyes, turning away from the elf, trying to ignore the hunger that ran through her body. It was going to be a long night.

Serana awoke to a tickling feeling on her nose. Scrunching her face in confusion, she blinked blearily, raising her head slightly off the pile of numerous pillows at the head of the bed. She tried to bring up an arm to scrub her eyes, only to find that she couldn't. Squinting owlishly, Serana registered a soft form pressing into her front, and lifted the sheets to find her arm trapped beneath the form of a sleeping elf, and memories from the previous night came rushing back. Finally coming to her senses, Serana found that she had awoken because of Mora's hair, which had found its way onto her pillow and apparently Serana's face. Serana became increasingly aware of their proximity, the elf was curled up slightly, facing away from her, being spooned by the taller woman. Serana felt an all-too-familiar heat creep into her body at the sight of the woman, who was dressed only in her smallclothes, leaving little to the imagination. Serana slowly extricated her hand from under Mora's side, gulping as her eyes took in the smooth skin of Mora's neck, following it down to her toned back, and then landing on a backside she could only describe as voluptuous. Once more she felt her fangs extend to their full length, eager to taste the blood of the elf that snored gently before her. Serana knew she needed to feed soon, if only to get over her urges that were becoming more and more frequent. She could never remember feeling this way about anyone else. Sure, she'd had her flings, but what she was experiencing right now felt like a fierce craving rather than simple lust. As quietly as she could, she tried to leave Mora's enormous bed, but her movement must have awoken the sleeping woman as she turned to face Serana, blinking sleep from her eyes.

"Going to soon?" Mora yawned, stretching her arms above her head before regarding Serana with slightly blurry eyes. Serana turned away, she didn't want to be enticed by Mora's emerald gaze.

"I need to feed." She said simply, slipping on her clothes while still avoiding the elf's eyes before moving towards the doorway.

"You could feed from me." Serana froze, her mind rushing immediately to the very thoughts she had been trying to repress. She shuddered slightly as moisture gathered at the apex of her thighs almost instantly as wanton images flew through her mind.

"I-" She took a deep, steadying breath. "I don't think that's a good idea. You don't know what you're offering." She made once more to leave the room, desperate to get away from the source of her lecherous thoughts. She couldn't bite Mora without her knowing what would happen. Vampire bites released a potent combination of hormones and an aphrodisiac, provided both parties were willing, and there was no telling how Mora would react to it.

"I do." Serana halted once more, finally turning to meet the other woman's gaze. Mora's face was serious, but her eyes danced with...something. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe apprehension, maybe lust.

"You know about-" Mora nodded, still holding her gaze, beckoning her to come closer. Serana slowly walked back to the bed, as if in a dream. Mora sat up straight, her back resting against the cushioned headboard, making no attempt to cover herself. Serana felt like she was burning alive as she sat next to the woman, before Mora's strong arms grabbed her waist and lifted her into Mora's lap, her knees on either side of the elf's thighs. Mora's heartbeat was loud and fast in her ears, an ever-quickening drumbeat that was matched only by her racing mind. Their faces were only inches apart, and Serana hovered there for a moment, looking deep into Mora's emerald eyes, before she followed the curve of Mora's jaw down to her neck, eyes resting on the pulsepoint of her jugular. Leaning forward, she grazed her fangs over Mora's pulse, the elf shuddering beneath her as the fangs made contact with her skin. She hovered there for a moment, fangs poised over Mora's neck, before she bit down.

The effect was immediate. The heady taste of Mora's blood completely filled her senses. It was like fire, sharp, strong, and _delicious_. Serana felt one of Mora's hands fly up to grip her hair, pressing her further into the elf. Serana couldn't suppress the moan that escaped her throat as she gulped down Mora's blood with a greed that surprised her. She felt energy flow through her veins, an intoxicating power that was stronger than any other blood she had consumed. A sudden scream from the elf almost caused her to relinquish the hold her fangs had on Mora's neck, but as the elf pressed her even closer she registered that it wasn't a scream of pain. Mora's legs began to shake as another scent overwhelmed Serana's senses, nearly as strong as the blood. She could smell Mora's lust, the heady scent almost as sharp as the fiery taste of her blood. The scent went straight to Serana's head, and it was all she could do so stop herself from grinding her body into Mora's. The elf let out another yell, her legs continuing to shake as Serana felt yet another orgasm run through the smaller woman. Serana knew that her bite was potent, but it had never before garnered such a reaction. The elf continued to writhe beneath her, Serana feeling her own desire pooling between her thighs.

"Oh-oh gods." Mora managed between panting breaths, her head tilting to the side to give Serana as much access as possible. Serana hummed into her neck as a third orgasm tore through the smaller woman, the resulting cry shaking the ceiling and walls as her thu'um escaped unconsciously. Serana felt dizzy from the scent, Mora's pulse thundering in her ears. She forced herself to stop drinking, despite Mora trying to press her closer, vaguely noticing how she had been almost clawing at Mora's waist. Licking the wound to stop the flow of blood, Serana fell sideways off Mora's lap, reeling from the powerful blood that flowed through her. Her head rested on the mountain of pillows as she stared up at the ceiling, trying to regain her breath as her mind whirled. She had only a moment before a pair of lips crashed into hers, a tongue quickly demanding entrance into her mouth. She opened her mouth in surprise, but only resulted in deepening the kiss as Mora began to grind herself into Serana's hips. The elf wore only her smallclothes, the straps of her bra falling from her shoulders, the material barely able to stay on her substantial bust. Serana's mind was a whirl of lust and power, and she let out a moan, her hands reached automatically for the other woman's hips, grinding them more forcefully against her before flipping them so she was on top. Mora finally emerged from the kiss, gasping for air, her hands struggling to find a way to remove Serana's shirt. Serana arched her back, about to tear away the offending piece of cloth, when she finally realised the weight of what she was doing, despite the potent combination of power and lust that coursed through her body. _No!_ Before Mora could blink, she heaved herself off the other woman, quickly standing from the bed. Mora looked up at her, her expression confused as the elf fought to catch her breath.

"We can't." Serana began, holding up a hand as Mora opened her mouth, her expression shifting to one of hurt.

"This...this isn't what you want. It's the aphrodisiac caused by my bite." She regretted ever letting Mora share her blood. Now she had probably ruined any chance of starting an intimate relationship in a normal way. She couldn't take advantage of Mora like that, not when she might not have wanted such a thing under normal circumstances. She wanted to cry at her own stupidity, her hands balling into fists.

"No! I've never wanted anything more!" Mora sounded desperate, her green eyes filled with lust and a silent plea. It almost physically hurt Serana to turn around, but she walked just to the threshold of the door before pausing.

"Once it wears off, then we'll talk. But I have a feeling you won't want to see much of me after you come to your senses." The power coursing through her blood made her want to put her fist through the wall. She knew she needed to let off some of her anger, and she slipped from the room, not daring to look back into the pained green eyes that followed her hasty retreat.

 **Sorry for the wait, but finals are beginning this week. I won't have much free time for a couple of weeks, but here's a chapter I managed to crank out. Thanks for the continued reviews, follows, and favorites. I'm pleasantly surprised by how many people seem to be enjoying this story, it's a great motivator to improve my writing further.**

 **Thanks again,**

 **-Marimbo**


	12. Chapter 12

Serana slipped quickly out of the city, clutching her cloak close to her body. The sun was rising slowly over the trees, making the morning dew sparkle and creating a landscape quite at odds with the thoughts rushing through her head. Entering the forest, she made her way through the trees, trying to hold back tears. She had allowed her own weakness to ruin any chance she had at happiness. No doubt Mora would hate her for taking advantage of her in such a way. The elf had said she knew what she was getting herself into, but she had never shown that much interest in Serana. She probably never would after what had transpired earlier. Serana stopped in a small clearing, finally succumbing to her emotions and collapsed in a heap. Eventually the tears came, and she barely registered the cold damp grass that began to saturate her cloak. She didn't know how long she sat there, but as her tears began to twindle she felt her sadness become slowly replaced with anger. She was angry at herself for showing such weakness. She was angry that she had to hide who she really was. She was angry at her parents, for forcing all of this upon her. Maybe it was the potency of Mora's blood, or maybe she had felt it all along, but she needed a release from all her pent-up emotions. She felt a pressure build inside of her, growing along with her rage. It swelled in her breast, and she tilted her head back and let out a furious roar. The pressure burst, a surge of magical energy expanding outwards from her prone form, shaking leaves from the trees as the force dissipated. Serana was left panting, dazed at the display of raw power that she had created. Usually it was the elf who would emit such a strong aura and manifest pure energy powerful enough to generate physical force without even using a spell. It could only be Mora's blood, which still ran hot through her veins. It was likely that the elf's blood was able to alter emotions slightly, considering how potent it was. Magical ability could be temporarily passed on through feeding, and the surge of power could heighten senses and emotional responses. It wasn't often she could feed from someone powerful enough to generate such a response. The knowledge made her anger abate slightly, maybe if she could explain to Mora that they were both affected…

The sound of hooves broke her from her thoughts. She looked up to see a long rider wending their way through the trees, heading in her direction. As the neared, she was able to make out the person's figure, and she saw long brown hair flowing down her back. It could only be one person. Serana took in a sharp breath as Mora approached, her expression stormy. Serana felt her heart sink, even as the horse slowed to a stop in front of her. Mora lifted one leg over the horse, and promptly fell to the ground in a heap. Serana rushed forward, concerned that the she was injured, but the woman waved her away, though she allowed Serana to help her into a sitting position, her back leaning against a rock. Serana, despite herself, gave Mora a hopeful look, only to recoil under the elf's pointed gaze, her thoughts scrambling to form a coherent explanation for what had happened earlier.

"I-" Mora raised a hand to silence her, and dread pooled in Serana's stomach.

"Serana, I think we need to lay down some ground rules." The elf's voice was surprisingly light, a fact that Serana clung to as she nodded meekly despite the slight frown that curled the elf's lips.

"Don't you _ever_ feed from me again without fucking me senseless afterwards." Serana's jaw dropped and she stared at the elf with wide eyes. Her mind struggled to make sense of the other woman's words as she gaped openly at the elf, who crossed her arms with a huff.

"I mean, I'm getting some serious mixed-signals here. You get me all hot and bothered and then you _run_ out of the room just as I'm ready to finally get some real action." Serana finally managed to close her mouth, her heart soaring as she thanked every god she knew of.

"Do you know how long it took me to get on that horse?" Mora griped, seemingly unfazed by Serana's reaction, gesturing to the horse she had recently fallen off of. "I can barely stand right now. It's been a long time since I came that hard." The elf flipped some hair out of her eyes, still wearing a peeved expression. Serana tilted her head back and laughed, the ridiculousness of the situation finally catching up with her. She felt suddenly light, despite her previously stormy thoughts. Mora truly was an enigma, one that Serana fully intended to try and solve.

"Anyway," the elf carried on after Serana quieted some, "I came here to clear some things up. I don't know if your...behavior...when you fed from me was because of how you feel or because of the," she waved her hand airily, searching for the word, "...process. I can assure you that mine was both, and I'm damn keen on a repeat." The elf shrugged, seemingly unconcerned, but Serana could pick up her quickening heartbeat and the nervousness in her eyes. Smiling, Serana twisted her body, settling herself gently in front of Mora. She brought their foreheads together, watching Mora intently to gauge her reaction. The elf's eyes fluttered closed, and Serana felt hands gently wrap around her waist. She moved forward, hovering a tiny distance away from Mora's slightly parted lips, feeling the other woman's breath melding with her own. Slowly, she closed her eyes and brought their lips together, feeling Mora's plump lips smile slightly as they met. The kiss was gentler than the one they shared earlier, and Serana reveled in the tenderness of Mora's arms and the softness of her lips. They broke apart, panting slightly. Serana could hear the elf's rapid heartbeat and their eyes met for a brief instant. Mora tilted her head, her arms moving to rest on Serana's shoulders as she moved in once more. Serana shifted to sit in the elf's lap, allowing the kiss to deepen, reveling in the other woman's touch. She felt her lips curl into a contented smile even as the kiss continued, and Mora's did the same. They broke apart once more, grinning almost foolishly at each other. Mora began to laugh, the joyous sound ringing throughout the clearing, beckoning Serana to follow her. Soon they were both laughing, content to be in each other's arms, their worries temporarily forgotten. Mora leaned back against the rock, her eyes dancing with happiness, before she shot up suddenly.

"Oh, fuck." Worried, Serana turned, only to see nothing with them in the clearing.

"What is it? I don't see anything," she asked worriedly, feeling a pang of frustration that something would ruin her current mood.

"Exactly," Mora sighed, "the horse is gone."

* * *

Mora's legs had stopped trembling enough to allow her to walk back to Whiterun with Serana, though secretly she wished she could have had an excuse to make the vampire carry her. She felt an unintentional spring in her step as she reveled in Serana's fingers which were currently laced with her own. It made her feel the same cheesy sort of happiness she felt after her first kiss, a sort of giddy excitement she hadn't felt in a long time. A few times she had to stop herself from giggling at the kisses Serana stole as they made their way back to town. Dragonborns did not giggle. Dragonborns also did not blush all the way to the tips of their pointed ears, nor did they look _cute_ when they frowned or got annoyed. Serana seemed to think otherwise, but since she could turn into a giant bat-creature Mora wasn't going to correct her.

When they passed the stables, Mora was pleased to find that her horse had found its way back by itself, as she had no intention of wandering the woods searching for it. She didn't like horses, they smelled of manure and scared easily, but she didn't want to crawl the whole way to Serana. She wasn't difficult to find after Mora had felt her pulse of magical energy. She would have to ask about that later, she had never seen Serana use magic outside of spells.

It was a miracle she even made it to the stables without help. She had managed to hobble somewhat stealthily most of the way, using the side of houses to keep herself upright. When she was in the open, she simply used Whirlwind Sprint to hurl herself to the stables, where she tumbled ungracefully into a bale of hay. She paid for the horse, and tipped the stable boy a hefty sum of coins to make sure he "forgot" about her ungainly fall, adding a bit of thu'um to her voice to make sure he got the point. The poor boy had looked ready to faint after that, she mused, smirking slightly to herself.

It wasn't long before the pair found themselves at the steps of Breezehome, Serana opening the door for Mora with an exaggerated bow. They entered the small home to find Lydia cooking breakfast, her brown hair looking distinctly unkempt.

"Well look who's back," she began sourly, Mora's smile fading as she began to feel slight unease at her housecarl's stormy expression. Lydia had dark bags under her eyes, which were slightly bloodshot, and Mora felt herself wishing she could run from the room.

"Mora, next time you decide to have sex early in the morning please gag yourself of something. I thought you were into that sort of thing anyway." Mora spluttered, feeling heat rush to her face. Serana was courteous enough to look apologetic, but smirked slightly in Mora's direction making the elf blush even more, much to her annoyance.

"We weren't...we didn't…" she stuttered lamely. Lydia rolled her eyes, pointing a ladle at her menacingly, and Mora felt something that even fighting hordes of enemies didn't generate in response. Fear.

"Have you even _heard_ yourself?" the Nord growled with a glare that would make even the oldest of dragons cower in fright, "The fucking _walls_ were shaking. Don't you have spells for that sort of thing?" She did, of course, but she hadn't expected that getting her blood drained would give her some of the best orgasms of her life. Despite her red face, Mora knew she had to save at least some of her dignity. She puffed herself out to her full height, which didn't help much, and fixed the angry brunette with a glare of her own.

"We weren't having sex. Serana was...hungry, and I helped her out." Secretly, she was hoping that Serana would be feeling _hungry_ again sometime soon. She had heard of the effects of vampire bites, but she didn't expect it to instantly send her into a series of earth-shattering orgasms. She resisted the urge to licker her lips at the thought. Being fed on was something she could get used to. Maybe next time, she could get Serana to stick around and-

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME YOU TINY BANSHEE?" Mora blinked, finding a pair of bloodshot brown eyes glaring into her own. Nervously, Mora reached for Serana, hoping the woman might take pity on her, only to find that she had fled the room. She gulped, wishing absently that she had been able to do more than just kiss Serana before her death, even as Lydia's larger frame loomed before her.

By the time the sun was just beginning to set, Mora was feeling quite smug at her earlier productivity. After being chewed out by Lydia, she had gotten her robes repaired, adding a new layer of chainmail beneath the fabric. She had enchanted it herself, of course, though she left the other reparations to Adrianne Avenicci, she had no interest in the mundane tasks of blacksmithing or sewing. The new armor was now much more resistant, the enchantments fortifying the chainmail while increasing the potency of her spells. She would leave with Serana the following day for Castle Volkihar, where they could hopefully secure the second Elder Scroll. It took some convincing to stop Lydia and Aela from following them on the journey, but their task required a fair amount of stealth and Lydia was about as subtle as a giant. Mora had completed her personal preparations, and she found herself looking forward to the prospect of a good fight. She hadn't been plagued by nightmares as often lately, which she attributed to Serana's constant presence. The vampire was able to calm her mind in a way that nothing else had since she had battled Alduin before the Hall of Valor. Lost in thought, Mora ascended the stairs to her bedroom, barely registering Lydia's greeting as she swept past. It wasn't often that she thought of her time in Sovngarde, but maybe with Serana by her side she could finally overcome her burden. She squeezed her eyes shut, letting herself fall onto her bed as the memories flooded her mind.

" _ **We are more alike than you think, little elf. You share in the hunger that drives all dov. With each soul you consume, the power becomes more delicious. You pretend to come with noble intentions, but I know what truly compels you, as is the same with all our kind. This hunger is a burden, and yet you still wish to reign over the dov. You have proven yourself strong, little elf, but the title of Thur goes only to the mighty.**_ " _His words echoed through her skull, his thu'um shaking the ground with its power. She gripped her sword more tightly, angry at herself that her hands were trembling slightly. A part of her wanted to refute his words, but she knew there was truth to what he said. The way he described it was perfect. It was a hunger that she had always felt. She couldn't find a good way to put it into words, but she could always feel in gnawing away at her self control. She glared into the eyes of the huge jet-black dragon, allowing her magic to build at her fingertips. Yes, she had always had a thirst for battle. Yes, she had always had a lust for power. But that would end after she killed Alduin. He would fall just like the others, and his soul would be hers. She could finally get rid of the part of her she hated, the part of her that wouldn't allow her to sit idle. The part of her that wanted to conquer and devour. All she had to do was bring down a god._

 _It had rained ash in Sovngarde that day, the Hall of Valor trembling against the might of two thu'ums. When Alduin finally fell, his massive body tumbling from the sky like a marionette without strings, Mora too succumbed to her wounds, slipping into unconsciousness._

 _Her physical wounds had healed, Mora was too proud and too skilled at magic to allow her body to become permanently scarred, but killing a god came at a price. Alduin's soul was absorbed just like all the others, and his power along with it. But her hunger didn't end. It got worse. She had consumed his soul, but his hunger began to consume her. She tried desperately to find a solution, anything to ease her mind and keep her from becoming the monster she knew lived inside her, but nobody could understand her plight. Theirs were the souls of mortals, and hers was of dragons. She became restless. She wanted to fight, to find her purpose once more in battle. It was then that the dreams had started. Alduin would appear before her, laughing at her weakness. She thought that she consumed his soul, but it was the other way around. She watched herself destroy villages and kill her friends, even as she laughed with a cruel glee. When vampires began to attack settlements and towns, Mora jumped at the invitation to join the Dawnguard, if only to once more have a sense of direction in her life._

A soft hand on her cheek made her open her eyes, and she found Serana's orange gaze looking down at her.

"What's wrong?" Serana's voice was soft, her orange eyes searching Mora for answers.

"Nothing," she responded, sighing as Serana's other hand rested at her hip.

"I can see it in your eyes. Something is wrong," Serana pressed, her hand ghosting over Mora's side, making her wish for more contact.

"Not anymore." She smiled up at Serana, trying to convey the full extent of her feelings with one look. Serana seemed to accept her response and finally closed the distance between them to pull her into a kiss. It was soft, but even as Mora marvelled in the tenderness of Serana's lips, she found herself wanting more. She opened her mouth, inviting Serana to deepen the kiss. To her delight, the vampire hummed in pleasure, one of her hands supporting the small of Mora's back while the other gripped her hip tightly. Mora's head was spinning as Serana's tongue danced skillfully with her own, and she couldn't help but lift her hips in offering. Serana finally broke the kiss, her gaze raking over Mora's figure and making her desire flare even hotter as she gasped for breath.

"I want this off." Serana tugged at Mora's shirt, and she was all too happy to oblige. She quickly rid herself of the offending material, Serana swiftly removing her bra and leaving her upper body completely exposed under the vampire's hungry gaze. Serana trailed her hands over Mora's sides, then over her toned stomach, making the elf gasp with pleasure. Slowly, she guided Mora's arms above her head, then trapped her wrists together, holding them still with one hand. Serana nipped at Mora's neck, prompting a soft moan to escape unbidden from her lips. Mora could feel her lust pooling between her thighs. Serana had her powerless against her pleasurable assault, and when Serana's free hand finally settled on her breast, any semblance of coherent thought escaped her completely.

When Serana's lips stopped their relentless assault on her neck, Mora tried to find words through her lust-addled mind to express her disappointment, only for Serana to dip her hand under the hem of her pants.

"I hope you really do know a spell to keep everyone from hearing you," Serana purred, her voice low and husky with lust, "because I'm going to make you scream."

 **Last of the filler, I swear. Next chapter we'll be back to adventuring as usual. As always, thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

The journey to Castle Volkihar was long for Mora's taste, but Serana made the trip quite a bit more...enjoyable. Serana had needed to feed once more along the way, something that Mora had decided she was more than happy to help with. Despite the gloomy weather and nature of their expedition, Mora couldn't have been happier. She hadn't had any of her nightmares in over a week, and her usual gnawing hunger was slowly being replaced by another feeling entirely. Love. Mora had never been one to admit such emotions easily, but she could think of no other way to describe what she felt. It felt strange, that in such a short time Serana had implanted herself so firmly in Mora's life. The last thing she had expected was to fall in love with a vampire, but then again her life had never followed any semblance of normalcy. Even her mixed parentage was something of a rarity is Skyrim. Serana had been interested to find that though her father was an Altmer, her mother was a Nord. It was rare for either race to produce children with another, especially with the negative sentiment towards elves harbored in most of Skyrim's locals. Mora found herself smiling slightly. When she talked about her childhood, the vampire seemed to cling onto her every word. It was endearing, and made her feel that the vampire really cared about her. She usually didn't talk about her upbringing, but Serana was able to make her open up like no one else could.

Mora grew up outside of Skyrim, in a simple home among the trees of Valenwood. Her mother was captain of the guard in Falkreath before she met Mora's father, who had studied at the College of Winterhold and passed through Falkreath on his way back to Cyrodiil. When Mora was born, the small family moved to Valenwood to allow their newborn daughter to grow up peacefully. Many were opposed to her parents' union, and with the magical affinity that Mora's father sensed in her the minute she was born, it was safer to move to a more remote location. There, in the forest, Mora spent most of her childhood. Her mother taught her the ways of the sword, and her father instructed her in magic. Just in case.

When she was 15, her father fell ill. Despite his aptitude for alchemy, he could not create a potion that could cure himself. He died within the year, leaving Mora alone with her mother. In time they recovered from their loss, but Mora was no longer content spending her days in a small wooden cottage. Her strength was beyond what she could learn from books, and she grew restless. She was hungry to experience the world, to grow her strength, and to expand her knowledge. At the age of 19, she left her mother, tearfully promising to send many letters home.

When she crossed the border to Skyrim, she foolishly took a nap a little too close to the main road, and the next thing she knew she woke up near Helgen, unaware that her life was about to change forever.

Mora in turn learned that Serana's parents _were_ kind enough, at least when she was young. Her father was always aloof, and perhaps slightly cold, her mother overprotective and haughty, but her childhood was not an unhappy one. It was when she was older that her parents began to change. Her father became enraptured with the idea of becoming more powerful, and had offered the lives of many in the name of Molag Bal simply to become stronger by becoming a pure-blood vampire. Even Serana and her mother were offered to the Daedric Prince, which had made Mora tremble with rage.

"If I ever see that son of a bitch," Mora had promised, "I'm going to kill him." She had already killed one god, what was one more? Serana had just smiled sadly, squeezing her hand tightly.

Even after they had become vampires, Serana's father was not content. When he discovered the prophecy, it consumed him. He became harsher towards Serana and her mother, and eventually they had to come to terms with the fact that he would never again be the man they once knew.

"Will you ever go back?" Serana asked suddenly, "To your mother." They were nearing the castle, the lake just coming into view over the misty hilltops in front of them. Mora was startled from her thoughts at the question. It wasn't that she had never thought about returning home, far from it. It had always caused her a fair bit of guilt. She had never sent any of the letters she promised to write, and by now she wasn't even sure her mother still lived in the same home, nevermind the fact that she could long be dead.

"Yes," Mora said quietly, trying not to let her voice betray too much emotion, "but I-" she swallowed, her throat clenching with the feelings she tried so hard not to show. "I don't even know if she's alive anymore." Tears threatened to run down her cheeks and she turned her head away from Serana. "I left her five years ago, she...she probably wouldn't want to see me again even if she _is_ still alive." Serana's hand gently turned her head, forcing her to look into those beautiful orange eyes, tinged with concern and affection. Her tears finally began to fall.

"I left her all alone," she whispered, accepting Serana's embrace. Serana's lips pressed gently onto the top of her head as she cried into the woman's shoulder.

"When we're done," Serana said, "with all this, we'll go back together, alright?"

Mora began to cry even harder, unable to put her gratitude into words.

* * *

Serana contemplated the elf that strode briskly by her side. She was happy that the other woman was opening up to her, but she could sense that something was still bothering her smaller companion. The things she did learn, however, made her chest feel tight with happiness. She learned that Mora got her eyes and height from her mother. Her height was an adorably sensitive topic for the elf, who would pout every time Serana tried to make a joke at her expense. A compliment on her eyes, however, would always have Mora blushing happily. Both reactions were adorable in Serana's mind, though she didn't voice her thoughts. Mora was a proud woman, maybe to a fault. That much was clear to her. It was frustrating sometimes, when Mora would close herself off from Serana, simply because of her ideals of pride. Apparently, dragonslayers weren't supposed to have feelings. Serana wanted to roll her eyes at the thought.

There were still rare moments where the small elf would reveal her true thoughts, maybe even cry, but they were quick to fade. Serana hadn't forgotten the night Mora had cried in her arms after dreaming she killed her friend. They had never spoken of that night, yet Serana couldn't help but remember Mora's concerns. Her adorable, foolish elf. The small woman thought herself a monster, when she was traveling with an ancient being who could transform into the most terrifying creature ever to haunt the night.

"Finally." Mora's relieved voice startled her, and she found that they were just approaching the small dock, the rowboat rocking gently against the old, creaking wood.

"I _need_ a good fight," Mora groused, clearly bored of walking. Serana smiled at the elf's antics, yet she couldn't help but agree.

It was all too easy to sneak around the side of the castle, there were no guards stationed outside of the walls themselves. It only took minutes for them to find the abandoned loading dock that led to the sewer entrances. The first enemies they encountered were skeletons. They fell easily enough, Serana found it all too simple to pick them off at a distance with her magic while Mora rampaged through their ranks in her usual fashion, her sword a blur in the dim light that made its way through dark clouds.

Swiftly, they entered through the door to the cistern. A few Death Hounds lay waiting for them, but their bodies were nowhere near strong enough to withstand either woman's strikes. The cistern quickly turned into a series of claustrophobic tunnels, infested with spiderwebs and rats. Serana took the lead, guiding Mora through the tunnels. Despite the lack of competition, Mora appeared to be enjoying herself, until they came across some distinctly thick spiderwebs.

"Serana?" came a nervous whisper, "Serana, do you think there are-"

A massive frostbite spider burst through one of the webs ahead of them, its legs skating grotesquely over the damp slickness that clung to the stone floor.

Mora screamed.

With walls surrounding them closely on all sides, any loud noise would be enough to cause no small amount of discomfort. Mora, as the Dragonborn, was producing a sound quite a lot worse than "any loud noise". Serana felt like her skull was going to split in two as the scream echoed shrilly off the walls. As she recovered from the banshee-like shriek, Serana prayed silently that her ears weren't permanently damaged and she dispatched the creature with a swift fire spell. Thank the gods they were far enough underground as to not be heard by the castle's current inhabitants. The spider let out a few agonized clicks as its legs curled in on themselves, Serana watched impassively as the creature burned to death. When it was done, she turned slowly to face the elf, who had pressed her back into the damp wall.

"What. The. Fuck," was all Serana had the presence of mind to say.

"Don't," the elf panted, "like spiders." Her voice was noticeably shaky, and Serana wanted to laugh. She _really_ wanted to laugh. But the Dragonborn, the woman who had killed Alduin, the Archmage, looked like she had just experienced an impromptu visit from Vaermina.

"You don't...like spiders," Serana repeated slowly, trying quite hard to keep a straight face. The elf gulped then nodded vigorously, her eyes never leaving the dead spider's body. They both stood there for some time, Serana too bemused to decide whether she should laugh at Mora's plight, or cry at the fact that this woman was supposed to help her take down a pure-blooded vampire lord.

"Serana?" the elf finally spoke, her voice slowly returning to its usual smoothness. Serana merely raised an eyebrow in question.

"If you tell anyone about this, I'm going to kill you."

Soon they emerged into the courtyard. Serana fought to choke back her emotions at the sight. The way she remembered it, the courtyard was full of life. Her mother had grown plants from all across Nirn, and stepping into the courtyard made her feel like she was in a whole other world. Now, the whole area looked gray and dead. Stones were crumbling from the walls, the archways now collapsed in on themselves. The plants were dried and withered, even the few grasses that survived looked ashen, their blades drooping pathetically. There was the moondial, almost as she remembered, as the centerpiece of the once flourishing garden. It had lost its original luster, and some of the moon icons surrounding it were gone, but the device itself was intact. A surge of emotion washed through her as she thought of how the courtyard had once looked. Besides her bedroom, it was one of the only places unaffected by Harkon's presence. Even after he discovered the prophecy, it was always a place Serana and her mother could go to escape his overbearing aura. As if sensing her nostalgic sorrow, Mora placed a soothing hand on her shoulder, for which she was grateful. She reached up, clutching Mora's fingers with her own as they took in the scene before them. Serana trailed her fingers slowly over the rusting surface of the moondial, before something caught her eye. The moondial was askew, which shouldn't have been possible, considering how the whole device was made of stone and metal, and was attached to the ground below.

"What is that?" came Mora's soft voice. The woman was pointing to a dull glint, just barely reflected in the somber light. Serana broke from Mora's touch, picking up the small object.

"It's one of the crests," she said, turning over the flat metal crescent in her hands. She looked back to the moondial as an idea hit her. Quickly, in her excitement, she bounded to the moondial, her eyes searching the perimeter rapidly before she found the spot for the specific moon phase, and to her delight the crest snapped solidly into place. Mora quickly picked up on what she was doing, and began to search the garden with equal enthusiasm. It didn't take long for them to find the missing pieces, each fitting smoothly into place. Serana felt a rush of excitement as she lay down the final crest, and she was not disappointed. In a grind of stone, the moondial spun slowly, and stone steps were revealed, one by one, until a full spiral staircase appeared before them, descending below the courtyard. Mora whistled.

"Clever mother, very clever," Serana muttered, and together they descended once more below ground.

 **Don't worry, there will be plenty more action soon. It's been too long since Mora's had a decent opponent...**

 **As always, thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoy the story. If you don't (or if you do), leave a review! You can boost my ego or tear it down, either way constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	14. Chapter 14

Thankfully, as they made their way through the dreary halls and passages of the abandoned tower, they didn't encounter any more spiders. Mora wasn't sure her heart would survive another surprise spider attack, and her dignity was already in shambles after the first one. As she slashed and hacked at the numerous skeletons that kept jumping out at them, Mora was still fuming about _that_ particular encounter. If she hadn't been with Serana it wouldn't have been a big deal, she could have just killed everyone in the vicinity and her secret would have been safe. But now Serana knew of her greatest weakness. Spiders. The skeletons and gargoyles were no problem. _They_ at least didn't make grotesque clicking noises, and they only had two legs. Secretly, she hailed Serana as her savior for killing that horrible spider and saving her from being forced into close quarters with it, but she wouldn't voice those thoughts. She couldn't give the woman the satisfaction.

Mora couldn't help but noticed Serana's growing frustration as they blasted their way through ranks of skeletons. The vampire clearly didn't see the point in her mother leaving behind so many guards, and was using more and more potent spells with each skeleton they encountered. They seemed to appear from thin air, and were hiding behind almost every possible corner. When they came across a room with _four_ gargoyles, Serana had clearly had enough.

"Mora," she spoke in a voice that seemed just a little too calm, "please stand back." The elf did so, eyeing the inanimate gargoyles warily. Obviously, Serana could take them on by herself, but gargoyles tended to be tough, and often able to resist-

"HAH!"

Mora blinked owlishly at the gargoyle head that rested near her feet. Compared to the other gargoyles, it was actually relatively intact. The blast of energy Serana had unleashed was more than enough to obliterate the four gargoyles before they even had a chance to animate, and even at Mora's distance she was knocked back a few paces.

The elf simply smiled because, oh yeah, that was really hot. After they finished getting the scroll, she was going to make sure Serana knew exactly how much she really appreciated her. She could image it right now: Serana bending her over her desk and-

"Mora, love," Serana was smirking, "you're drooling." Mora quickly close her mouth, which she hadn't even realised was hanging open, instead opting to give Serana her best sultry grin.

"I can't help it." She traced her pointer finger slowly over her bottom lip. "You're such a powerful woman, it just makes me so... _hot_." The way Serana's eyes darkened with lust proved that she had won this round. She took the victory with maybe a little more pride than was appropriate.

It was only a short time later that they finally found what they were looking for. Behind a false fireplace and up a short twisting staircase, was a room that varied heavily in appearance from the rest of the abandoned tower. Mora didn't understand how Serana's mother had hidden a whole tower inside the castle, but decided she didn't really care.

"This has to be it!" Serana said excitedly, pushing past her to get a better look at the room. It was just as dreary as the rest of the castle, but unlike the vacant halls they recently passed through, this room seemed to actually have been used. Various alchemy ingredients were lined up neatly on shelves, along with an extensive collection of books and an assortment of bones. Serana picked up one of the bleached skulls, turning it over in her pale hands.

"I knew she was deep into necromancy. I mean, she taught me everything I know." She set down the skull, her piercing orange eyes scanning the room. "But I had no idea she had a setup like this." While the array of magical items was undoubtedly impressive, Mora didn't know the first thing about necromancy. Conjuration in general was a weak point for her, which was mostly because she never attempted to try it. She didn't need to summon others to fight her battles for her. Besides, that would ruin the fun.

"But...what's this thing?" Serana was now inspecting what appeared to be the centerpiece of the room. It was a large circular indentation in the floor, with multiple rings almost like a shallow round staircase. Candles lined the outermost ring, and whatever it was, it looked important.

"My mother was very meticulous with her research, maybe we'll find something in her old notes," Serana offered. Mora shrugged, and the women began their search.

It wasn't long before Mora heard Serana's excited voice from the bookshelves, prompting Mora to set down the copy of the Lusty Argonian Maid she had been reading, and hurry to her side. Serana was wearing an uncharacteristic scowl as she leafed through a small red journal, which worried Mora slightly.

"It seems like my mother found a way into the Soul Cairn. The recipe itself isn't difficult to copy, but we need her blood for it to work."

"I don't know what the Soul Cairn is, but maybe your blood would work?" Mora offered, hoping she didn't sound too much like an idiot. Serana gave her a sharp look.

"Of course…" She shook her head as if to clear it before locking eyes with Mora once again.

"My mother had a theory about soul gems. That the souls inside of them don't just vanish when used... they end up in the Soul Cairn. The Soul Cairn is home to very powerful beings. Necromancers send them souls, and receive powers of their own in return," she explained patiently, "My mother spent a lot of time trying to contact them directly, to travel to the Soul Cairn itself. If I'm correct, that thing in the middle of the room is some sort of portal." Mora smiled at the excitement in Serana's voice. She clapped her hands decisively.

"Let's get to it, then." Serana gave her an amused smirk.

"Yes, let's. It looks like we'll need a handful of soul gem shards, some finely-ground bone meal, and a good bit of purified bone salts…"

After a fair bit of rummaging around, the women had assembled the required ingredients. Serana placed them in a vessel near the center of the room, then bit her arm near the wrist and dripped blood over the items. Tremors began to shake the room, and a purple glow emanated from the centerpiece. Slowly, the rings began to shift. They rose from the floor, spinning slightly, and then disassembled into random chunks of rock, before reforming once more as a staircase. The stone steps led to a bright purple portal, basking the whole room in an eerie glow.

"I can't believe she actually did it," Serana whispered. Mora could only nod dumbly, before taking a deep breath.

"Well, here goes nothing." She adopted a cocky smile, which was at odds with the nervousness in her stomach. "Wish me luck?"

"Luck," Serana smiled, pulling her into a tender kiss. When they broke apart, Mora's cocky smile adopted a slightly dazed look, but at least her confidence gained a boost. She gave Serana a cheeky wink, and jumped into the portal.

When Mora woke up, the first thing she registered was that her whole body hurt. It was as if needles were constantly piercing every tiny portion of her flesh, and it was all she could do not to scream. Despite the pounding in her head, she opened her eyes, only to squint against the bright purple light dominating the room.

"Are you alright?" Soft hands lifted her head, and she vaguely noticed that she was sprawled on the cold stone floor.

"That looked...painful. I should have expected that, sorry." Mora only groaned in response. Serana gave her a pitying look, but continued.

"The Soul Cairn is...well, hungry, for lack of a better word. It tried to take your life essence as payment." She helped Mora into a sitting position, resting her back against the stone wall, and began to pace.

"I'm sure that I would be able to go in without a problem, since I'm already dead." Mora's eyes widened.

"Are you saying-" Serana held up a hand, silencing her.

"We have two options. Either you become a vampire, or I could partially soul trap you and offer the gem to the Ideal Masters, who are the beings that reside in the Soul Cairn." Mora gulped. She had thought about the prospect before, while they were walking to the castle. The idea of being able to spend an eternity with Serana was certainly tempting, but they hadn't known each other very long, considering. That was something to contemplate in the future. If she chose to become a vampire, it would mean a lot more than if it was imposed upon her. If Serana felt that she had forced Mora into it… She shook her head, trying to clear away such thoughts. This was a discussion they could have later.

"Soul trapping you would make you a bit weaker, though," Serana contemplated, "though maybe we could fix that once we're inside." Mora scowled.

" _Maybe?_ " Serana gave her an apologetic look.

"Maybe," she agreed.

"Soul trap me," Mora said decisively, though inwardly she felt anything but.

"Serana?" Her voice sounded timid, even to her own ears, but she continued, "I...Becoming a vampire is something I'm not ready for yet." She hated the turmoil and weakness of her own emotions, but she forged on. "Maybe one day, but...not yet. I just want you to know that I'm not turning it down because I think it's disgusting, or-" Serana's lips crashed into her own effectively silencing her.

"I love it when you do that," Serana said as they broke apart. "When you open up to me," she clarified, at Mora's confused expression. "To everyone else, you're the badass Dragonborn, but to me...you're just Mora, my adorable little elf." Mora tried really hard not to blush, and failed miserably, feeling oddly unangry at the nickname.

"I love you," she blurted, not really thinking about what she was saying.

Serana's kiss took her breath away.


	15. Chapter 15

The Soul Cairn was even worse than Mora had expected. It was bad enough to have part of her soul ripped from her body. _That_ had been more than uncomfortable, and left her feeling tired and sick, but she trusted Serana enough to let her do it. She had figured they'd go through the portal, see a few souls wandering around in a field or something, find Serana's mother, and then go home and drink heavily. That was apparently not the case. The Soul Cairn was bleak, the ground seemed to be made of ash and rock, dotted with occasional dead trees and shrubs. The air was heavy and unmoving, without a hint of a breeze to stir the plants of shift the ash under their feet. The whole place felt dead, as if it was slowly draining her life away with each passing second. The sky was a dark purple, stretching over them without so much as a hint of a cloud or change in shade, basking the barren plain in eternal dusk. In the distance, she could see dark silhouettes of buildings, and occasional faint pillars of light that stretched into the sky. Despite the dry air, there was a fog that hung unmoving over the ground, obscuring the half-buried bones of creatures long dead that littered the terrain.

"This fucking sucks," Mora summed up. Serana nodded her head in agreement, but didn't seem the least bit fazed by their sudden change in scenery. _She_ at least didn't have part of her soul ripped out.

They began to walk through the fog, which swirled around them as their movements shifted the air. It wasn't long before they began to encounter souls. They were purple, almost the same color as the sky, and transparent. Every so often, a wispy apparition would float in and out of their vision, flickering with the same purple glow of the lost souls. It was an odd feeling, having the souls stare at them as they passed, but Mora began to suspect her discomfort wasn't caused by them alone. Even when they weren't near one of the souls, she had a feeling that she was being watched. No doubt it was the Ideal Masters, keeping track of them after they entered the Soul Cairn. The thought was unsettling, mostly because she didn't know what the Ideal Masters actually were, or what they wanted. She hoped that they would leave her alone, but she wasn't counting on it.

They continued down the path, past strange black standing stones and piles of bones, skirting past broken buildings made of rock black enough to be obsidian, until finally they neared a structure that housed two of the pillars of light they had seen earlier. It looked like a small castle, with two towers on either side that emanated the beams of light that disappeared into the sky. Before the entrance, there was what appeared to be a sort of magical barrier, it surrounded the castle in a dancing purple sheen, stretching from the ground to the sky. They reached the barrier, and Mora couldn't help but poke it with her finger out of curiosity. The barrier rippled, rings emanating out from her finger as if it were water, but didn't budge against her touch.

"Mora!" Serana swatted her hand away from the barrier. "Be careful," she admonished, turning Mora's hand over in hers to make sure she hadn't suffered any injuries. Mora rolled her eyes. Serana could be such a mother sometimes.

"It can't be...Serana?" Both of their heads swung around rapidly, Serana's jaw dropping comically. _Speaking of mothers…_

"Mother! Is it really you? I can't believe it!" Serana pushed her hands into the barrier as if trying to pass through, completely heedless of her own warning. Mora looked the older vampire up and down. She was tall like Serana, her face had a slightly sharper and more harsh appearance, but it was regal in the same way her daughter's was. Her hair was the same shade of black, but pulled into a rather revere bun, which matched the dignity with which she carried herself as the strode towards the pair. She was even dressed almost the same as Serana, and had the same smooth pale skin. It was clear that Serana took after her mother in looks more so than her father.

"How do we get inside? We need to talk," Serana spoke again, clearly excited that they had finally reached their goal.

"Serana? What are you doing here? Where's your father?" Serana's smile faded at the harsh tone in her mother's voice, causing Mora to frown at the older woman, who was completely ignoring her.

"He doesn't know we're here," Serana spoke in a noticeably more timid tone, before straightening her posture and matching her mother's stern gaze. "I don't have time to explain."

"I must have failed," the woman muttered, almost to herself. "Harkon's found a way to decipher the prophecy, hasn't he?"

"No, you've got it all wrong. We're here to stop him…to make everything right," Serana said, clearly exasperated. Mora put a comforting hand on her shoulder, finally gaining the attention of her mother.

"Wait a moment...you've brought a stranger here? Have you lost your mind?" At her tone, Mora decided that she had preferred being completely ignored. As far as first impressions went, Serana's mother had made an awful one.

"No, you don't-"

"You. Come forward. I would speak with you." Mora didn't enjoy being ordered to do anything, but stifled an angry response for Serana's sake.

"So how has it come to pass that a mortal is in the company of my daughter?" Mora narrowed her eyes at the way the woman used the term "mortal" as if it were an insult.

"I'm Mora," she began, in a tone that was a little too sweet. "And you are?"

"Valerica," the woman answered coldly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, _Valerica_ ," Mora allowed a bit of thu'um to leak into her icy tone, causing the stones under their feet to tremble, she was satisfied at the shock that raced over Valerica's face before she once more schooled her expression. "I'm here for your Elder Scroll." Magic sparked threateningly over her fingertips. "I hope you'll give it to me willingly." She didn't.

"Serana," came Valerica's equally cold tone, "control your pet." Mora saw red.

"Actually," she snarled, "I'm going to enjoy prying the scroll from your cold dead fingers, just as much as I enjoy fucking your dau-"

"Mora!" Serana tugged on her arm, pulling her away from Valerica, but Mora never broke eye contact with the woman, glaring at her with as much intensity as she could muster. Serana turned towards her mother, opening her arms placatingly in an attempt to make a more peaceful approach.

"Mother, we're here to stop Harkon. Mora woke me from that _tomb_ you locked me in, and we're going to get the scrolls ourselves. We need you to give us yours." Valerica snorted condescendingly.

"You poor fools. The Elder Scrolls are merely a means to an end. The key to the Tyranny of the Sun is you, Serana."

"What do you mean?" Mora said sharply, her surprise making her finally drop her angry glare.

"When I fled Castle Volkihar, I fled with two Elder Scrolls," Valerica began. "The scroll I presume you found with Serana speaks of Auriel and his arcane weapon, Auriel's Bow. The second scroll declares that "The Blood of Coldharbour's Daughter will blind the eye of the Dragon." At Mora's questioning glance, Serana explained.

"Daughters of Coldharbour are those that emerge as pure-blooded vampires after being...offered to Molag Bal on his summoning day, like my mother and myself."

"So Harkon plans to kill Serana?" Mora spoke directly to Valerica, her fists clenched in fury. She was going to enjoy killing that bastard.

"If Harkon obtained Auriel's Bow and Serana's blood was used to taint the weapon, the Tyranny of the Sun would be complete," Valerica confirmed.

"That's not going to happen," Mora said confidently, earning a raised eyebrow from the older vampire.

"Oh? And how exactly do you plan on stopping him?" Mora smirked, imbuing her thu'um into her voice, just for a little added effect.

"I'm going to kill him." Valerica had the audacity to laugh coldly, making Mora grind her teeth angrily. Serana, for all her charm, had a really shitty family.

"Then you're an even bigger fool than I originally suspected. Don't you think I weighed that option before I enacted my plans?"

"And I'm sure you took Serana's opinion into consideration," Mora retorted sarcastically. The remark clearly struck a nerve, as Valerica snarled, giving her a withering look.

"You care nothing for Serana or our plight. You're here because we're abominations in your mind. Evil creatures that need to be destroyed. You are a stranger to our world, elf, it would be better for you to remain that way."

"You don't know how wrong you are," Mora growled quietly.

"This 'Stranger' has done more for me in the brief time I've known her than you've done in centuries!" Serana shouted, finally not content with silently watching their argument.

"How dare you!" Valerica shouted, "I gave up everything I ever cared about to protect you from that fanatic you call a father!"

"Yes, he's a fanatic...he's changed. But he's still my father. Why can't you understand how that makes me feel?" Serana's voice matched her mother's in volume, her hands clenched in fury. Mora put a comforting hand on her shoulder, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Valerica, though she made no comment on it.

"Oh Serana, if you'd only open your eyes. The moment your father discovers your role in the prophecy, that he needs your blood, you'd be in terrible danger."

"So to protect me you decided to shut me away from everything I cared about? You never asked me if hiding in that tomb was the best course of action, you just expected me to follow you blindly." Serana looked like she wanted to cry, and Mora could feel the vampires magical energy that she unknowingly emitted in her frustration. "Both of you were obsessed with your own paths," she continued, "Your motivations might have been different, but in the end, I'm still just a pawn to you, too. I wanted us to be a family again, but I don't know if we can ever have that." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "Maybe we don't deserve that kind of happiness. Maybe it isn't for us."

"Don't say that," Mora snapped, before grimacing at her own tone and continuing in a more soothing voice, "Of course you deserve happiness. After this is over…" She trailed away, unsure of how much she should say in front of Valerica. The woman would have to be blind not to have noticed there was something between them, but Mora didn't know how Serana felt about revealing the extent of their relationship to her mother.

"I'm sorry, Serana. I didn't know… I didn't see. I've allowed my hatred of your father to estrange us for too long. Forgive me." Serana's eyes lit up at her mother's apology, she clearly loved her mother, even despite her anger at what she had done. "If you want the Elder Scroll, it's yours."

"Mother… thank you," Serana said, emotion evident in her voice. Mora stood idly as Valerica explained to the pair how to lower the barrier. They had to kill three Keepers, who were located at the tallest of the rocky spires littering the Soul Cairn, in order for the magic to be released. Valerica also warned them of a dragon, Durnehviir, who roamed the Soul Cairn, charged with overseeing the Keepers. Mora smirked. It was about time they had some fun.

They made their way to the first spire without incident, skirting around crumbling stones to get a look at the Keeper. It was a huge skeleton, wearing armor that was black as night, holding a massive axe in one hand. It stood eerily still, almost as if it were asleep, standing guard on the steps to the spire.

"I'll make this quick," Mora said confidently, smirking slightly at Serana. In one movement, lept over their chosen cover, smoothly drawing her blade.

" **YOL TOOR SHUL!** " A blast of fire struck the skeleton before it had a chance to move, flowing around its body, the creature screeching loudly, its voice deafening in the eternal quiet of the Soul Cairn. Mora's smirk faded as the skeleton rushed towards her despite the flames that still licked at its limbs, illuminating the creature in a grotesque glow. It swung the axe at her torso in an attempt to cleave her in half. She ducked, rolling away from the Keeper's following kick, coming up just in time to see two spikes of ice impale the creature's chest. It let out a shriek of fury, but was apparently unhindered despite Serana's spell, and rushed forward again. Dodging the wild swing, Mora found her smirk returning in full force. She spun, driving her blade point-first through the skeletons middle as it stumble forward from the momentum of its own strike. In the same moment, she withdrew her blade, using the guard to block the Keeper's fist as it flew towards her head. Another salvo of ice spikes hit the Keeper, and finally it stumbled. Mora darted forward, sensing weakness, only to barely block an overhead swing of the axe with her own blade. The force of the blow sent her to her knees, her arm numb from the impact.

" **LIZ SLEN NUS!** " The skeleton froze, a layer of ice covering its whole body. Mora huffed, accepting Serana's hand to help her to her feet. The vampire cocked her head at the Keeper, before placing a delicate hand on its chest, and releasing a massive shockwave of magic. The frozen skeleton shattered, bits of bone and metal sent spinning into the air. As it died, a pulse of magic was released, shooting up into the sky in a violet flash. The barrier holding Serana's mother flickered slightly for a moment, before returning to its former appearance.

"One down," Mora said, trying to shake the numbness from her arm, "two to go."

The second and third Keepers fell without incident, Serana's magic and Mora's shouts were more than enough to take them down. While the Keepers seemed weak against the range of shouts and magic, they were formidable in close quarters. One of them had managed to land a punch on Mora's side, and the blow sent sprawling into the ground, leaving her dazed. While it would no doubt leave a large bruise, there would be no lasting damage. Mora cheekily asked Serana if she would kiss it better, earning an exasperated eye-roll from the taller woman.

With the magical barrier down, they quickly made their way back to Serana's mother. Mora couldn't be more excited to finally leave the Soul Cairn and be reunited with the piece of her soul that was missing. The difference in strength that it caused was small, but she tired noticeably faster. It felt unnatural, just like the entirety of the Soul Cairn. When they finally got to the castle, Valerica quickly led them into the doors immediately behind the stairs. Mora had expected dark stone halls reminiscent of Castle Volkihar, but instead they were in a massive courtyard, surrounded on all sides by high black walls. It was only moments after they entered the courtyard that a roar split the air, shaking the very ground.

"Durnehviir," Valerica whispered. The dragon appeared a moment later, landing on the far wall, stones crumbling under its weight. Durnehviir was one of the largest dragons Mora had ever seen. He was green, but his scales were a sickly shade. His wings were tattered, and it looked like he was more dead than alive.

" **DIIL QOTH ZAAM!** " The women stumbled as Durnehviir's thu'um shook the ground. Skeletons began to emerge from the ash, rising eerily from the ground and looking at them with glowing soulless eyes, before rushing forward.

"You two, deal with the skeletons," Mora commanded, before a wild grin split her face. "I'll take down the dragon." Durnehviir took to the sky, stone shattering under the force of his legs as they pushed off the wall. Serana and Valerica's hands sparked with magic, and they began hurling spells at the army of skeletons converging on them. Mora had eyes only for the dragon, tracking its flight as it banked, before diving towards them.

" **JOOR ZAH FRUL!** " Durnehviir's wings buckled, and he let out an enraged roar as his massive body crashed into the ground, crushing countless skeletons underneath as he slid forward. Mora rushed to the spot where he landed, easily cutting down the skeletons in her way.

" **Krii Lun Aus** ," she whispered, a blast of purple energy washing over the dragon's form, even as she deflected the torrent of frost he shot at her using a magical shield.

"Zu'u mindok hin dinok," she spoke, her voice thrumming through the air. "Match my thu'um, Durnehviir. Let's see if you are a worthy adversary for your Thur." He laughed, the deep rumbling sound vibrating the air.

" **Your Thu'um is strong! Pruzah, good, you will need it.** " In an explosion of ash he took to the sky again, breathing frost down at Mora as he rose. She blocked it deftly with her own magic, smoothly drawing her sword and spinning it in her hand.

"I don't think you got my message," Mora shouted up at the dragon, " **JOOR ZAH FRUL!** " Durnehviir's wings crumpled once again, and he came crashing down with a roar.

" **GAAN LAH HAAS!** " The shout sent Mora to one knee, gasping for air. It felt like she was withering away as a green wave of light hit her.

" **YOL!** " She forced herself to stand, using her shout as a distraction before rushing the dragon. Blinded by the fire, he didn't see her approach until her sword was already flashing down. It left a deep gash in his snout, blood gushing from the wound and turning the ash below a rusty red color. Mora rolled back to avoid the snap of his jaws, pausing on one knee to shoot a ball of fire from the hand not holding her sword. It struck Durnehviir in the neck, the scales boiling and steaming. He opened his great maw, once more breathing a stream of frost at her.

" **YOL TOOR SHUL!** " Forcing as much raw power as she could into the shout, she overpowered his ice, the flames washing over his massive body. His scales steamed and popped in the heat, flames licking at the membrane of his wings. He swiped his tail around his body, Mora barely had enough time to block the strike with the flat of her blade but she was still sent sprawling, a cry escaping her lips as she felt the bones in her forearm snap under the impact. Her sword spun out of her grip, sticking point first in the ground.

" **DIIL QOTH ZAAM!** " Once more, skeletons began to rise from the ash.

"Fuck that! **FUS!** " She yelled, using the shout to deflect his tail as lashed at her a second time. "I'M GONNA MAKE YOU BURN!" She put as much Thu'um as she could into her words, trembling the ground and knocking the skeletons back a pace. She brought her hands together, ignoring the pain in her broken arm, creating a ball of molten fire between her palms. She charged it with a much power as she could for a few moments, before throwing her hands apart with a cry, unleashing all of the condensed magic. Fire exploded around her, instantly melting the bones of the skeletons and burning even the ash on the ground away until they were standing only on barren rock. Durnehviir tried to use his ice to stop the shockwave of fire, but the heat of the flames consumed him, and he fell to the ground with a roar of pain as his limbs gave way. Mora fell to her knees, clutching her broken arm, panting with exhaustion.

" **What fire! Truly you are a worthy opponent! So this is the might of the Dovahkiin.** " The dragon began to slowly struggle to his feet. He looked grotesque, his scales were burned away leaving behind smoking, burnt flesh, and his wings were nothing more than blackened tatters. Mora struggled to stand herself, just in time to block another stream of frost with her magic. Her shield, usually so steadfast, began to flicker under the battering of his magic, forcing her back a few paces. _I have to end this now._

" **YOL!** " She used the fire once mora as a distraction, diving to her sword. She gripped it tightly in her good hand, turning to face the dragon, who opened his jaws, a shout rumbling in his chest.

" **GAAN-** "

" **WULD!** " She pointed the sword forward, allowing the momentum of her shout to shoot her at Durnehviir. She flew forward, as if in slow motion, meeting his shout halfway. Even as it washed over her body, she slammed the sword into the roof of his mouth and into his skull. His massive body jerked, giving her just enough time to pull the sword free before his jaws snapped shut. His legs gave way, his vast form crashing to the ground, and his eyes clouded over. Already his body began to burn, his flesh flaking away, disappearing in wisps of purple light.

Finally, he was dead.

Mora staggered back, her sword falling from her grasp as the effects of his shout sank into her bones. It felt like her energy, her power, had been sucked away. As one knee almost gave in, she emptied her stomach onto the ground next to her. In a daze, she managed to stumble a few more steps, her vision flickering slightly. As her eyes rolled back, the last thing she saw was the purple sky.

"Mora. Mora!" Her eyes opened slowly. Her whole body ached, and her arm was shooting with pain.

"S-Serana?" Her voice was hoarse from her shouts, her throat was raw and aching. Maybe she had overdone it this time, she thought vaguely. Arms lifted her torso, and she found herself in a crushing hug, being rocked back and forth as Serana cried into her hair.

"You're okay. You're okay," Serana sobbed, the words seemingly for her benefit even more than Mora's. "We thought…" The vampire trailed off, a fresh wave of tears rolling down her cheeks as she pressed her lips to Mora's forehead. She tried to reach her arms up to return Serana's embrace, but hissed with pain as she moved her broken arm.

"What is it?" Serana said, concern clear in her voice.

"My left arm," Mora replied, wincing. "It's broken." Wordlessly, Serana lifted her arm gently from the ground, a golden glow emanating from her hands. Mora grunted with pain as the bones snapped back into place, her arm rapidly mending under Serana's careful touch. When the arm was healed, Serana moved her hands to Mora's head, and warmth washed over her body. The effects of Durnehviir's shout faded away, allowing her to stand using Serana's offered hand. Finally getting a good look at Serana, Mora noticed that the vampire had an Elder Scroll strapped to her back, just like she did when they first met.

"Where's your mother?" she asked, looking around. The courtyard was empty, save the thousands of unmoving bones that littered the ground.

"She's getting your soul back," Serana smiled, "She said she'd know where to find it." Mora sighed in relief.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

They exited the courtyard, Mora limping slightly but otherwise feeling far better than she had earlier. They had only taken a few steps down the stairs when Mora's blood ran cold. Durnehviir was resting not twenty paces from them, regarding them shrewdly. Mora quickly put herself between the dragon and Serana, drawing her blade in a flash of metal.

" **Stay your weapons. I would speak with you, Qahnaarin.** "

"I thought you were dead," Mora said warily, earning a snort from the large dragon.

" **Cursed, not dead. Doomed to exist in this form for eternity. Trapped between laas and dinok, life and death. I have never been once felled in the field of battle. Until you, little dragon. I name you Qahnaarin, vanquisher, you are truly a worthy foe.** "

"I found you equally worthy, Durnehviir," Mora responded, still unsure where the dragon was going with the conversation.

" **Your words do me great honor. I wish…to respectfully ask a favour of you, Qahnaarin.** " At Mora's gesture he continued, " **For countless years I've roamed the Soul Cairn, in unintended service to the Ideal Masters. Before this, I roamed the skies above Tamriel. I desire to return there. I would place my name with you, granting you the right to call my name from Tamriel. Do me this honor and I will fight by your side, Qahnaarin.** " Mora dipped her head politely at the dragon.

"It shall be done, Durnehviir."

" **You have my thanks, Dovahkiin.** " He heaved himself into the sky, the ash billowing away from his powerful wingbeats.

"That was...interesting," Serana said meekly. Mora could only nod her head in agreement.

Serana's mother met them on the path back to the portal, handing Mora a soul gem. The instant she touched it, it exploded in a flash of pink light, that swirled in the air for a moment before rushing into Mora's chest. She grinned as her soul was repaired, finally freeing her of the sickly feeling that plagued her ever since her soul was divided. She noticed Valerica watching her, respect evident in her expression.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you, elf," she said as they began to near the portal, "What you did… I saw you fight Durnehviir. Maybe we really do have a chance against Harkon." Mora gave Valerica her signature cocky grin.

"You should see me when I'm not missing half my soul." She winked at Serana, who punched her arm good-naturedly. "Now let's get out of here. It's gotten a bit boring." She paused, as if in thought, "The dragons are too friendly, it's no fun at all."

Serana just groaned.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello, readers. There is a lemon in this chapter, a fairly lengthy one too. This will be the only warning, I do not like to disrupt the story with comments, notes, or advisories such as this. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter (and the rest of them, too!) because writing the fight with Durnehviir was super fun to write. I hope it was a more epic battle than the easy one in-game. As always, thanks for reading. I love hearing from you, either in a review or PM. As for the longer time between updates, my job has started up again and I suddenly have a lot less free time. I'm afraid I can't do anything to change that, sorry! Hope you like the story, and again, thanks for reading.  
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Serana couldn't suppress the grin she had been wearing ever since they left Castle Volkihar. Valerica and Mora didn't get along too well, but they could at least tolerate each other's presence. Both women were hot-headed, short-tempered, and often abrasive, especially after Valerica had learned of the full extent of Serana and Mora's relationship. The older vampire didn't look pleased at the news, but seemed to accept it, which was enough for Serana. Despite the somewhat tense atmosphere, Serana couldn't have been happier. She had her mother back, and she had her little elf by her side. They possessed all the Elder Scrolls they needed, and she finally truly believed that they could defeat Harkon. Her mother was a powerful mage and necromancer, just like her, while Mora was another beast entirely. Back in the Soul Cairn, she had seen what Mora did to Durnehviir. The ground itself had shaken with her power, her very voice bringing a dragon to its knees. She had seen the elf breathe flames like a dragon, before moving so fast she was but a blur to Serana's eyes, and striking down the massive beast. If Mora couldn't kill Harkon, nobody could.

Her eyes roamed over Mora, who was marching stoically next to her, before settling on her mother, who was walking with the same dogged stiffness. It would take time, but maybe, just maybe, she could have a family again. Serana had not fully forgiven her mother for what she had done, but she was so happy to finally see her again that those concerns were currently pushed to the back of her mind. As much as she didn't want to think about it, there was a very real possibility that not all of them would make it out alive after confronting Harkon. She wanted to enjoy the time she could spend with those she loved while she still could.

Lightning split the sky, revealing the silhouette of the College of Winterhold for a brief moment before plunging the world once more into darkness. Rain poured down from the sky, soaking their cloaks and limiting their vision. Mora looked absolutely pitiful, her robes were soaked and she was shivering pitifully. Had her face not been obscured by her hood, Serana wouldn't have been surprised if her pointed ears were drooping, not unlike a sad dog. Serana shifted the Elder Scroll that was strapped to her back. Her shoulder ached from supporting its weight for so long, all she wanted to do was lay down in a warm bed. Preferably with Mora wrapped in her arms.

When they finally reached the gates of the college, Mora threw them open with her magic, clearly eager to finally be inside. They trooped through the courtyard, and past large wooden double-doors into the main hall. The few mages that were still awake nodded politely at Mora and murmured a greeting, casting questioning looks over the pair of vampires. They didn't give voice to their queries, apparently used to their Archmage's eccentricites.

They trudged up spiralling stone stairs, Mora quickly showing Valerica to her room for the night, before she and Serana went to Mora's personal quarters. Serana quickly shed her clothes, falling back into Mora's spacious bed with a sigh. She closed her eyes, enjoying the softness of the sheets, and the lack of weight on her shoulder, until she felt a hand begin to smooth over her thigh. Serana let out a groan as Mora's lips began to ghost over her jaw, before moving up to nip below her ear. Heat rushed through her as she felt the warm weight of the elf's naked body above her, Mora's considerable bust pressing softly into her own.

"I thought," Mora whispered, her voice husky with lust, "you might be hungry." Serana's fangs instantly extended at the proposition, a welcome liquid heat growing in her abdomen. She felt her mind succumb to the lust building within her and quickly flipped their positions, Mora's legs wrapping around her hips as they rolled. She much preferred to be the one in control, making her little elf dance to her every whim. Outside of the bedroom, Serana liked to think she was not an overbearing person, but when it came to sex she wanted to have full control. Perhaps it was the vampiric side of her, but she loved to make Mora succumb to her every wish, dominate her until Mora was completely and utterly _hers_. There was something thrilling and sensual about having such a powerful woman helpless beneath her touch. Something that Serana couldn't resist.

She pulled the elf into a deep kiss, loving how Mora arched under her, melting into her touch. She couldn't help but smirk into the kiss at Mora's reaction. Despite the elf's brash demeanor, she always allowed Serana to take full control in bed. The woman clearly had a submissive streak, not that Serana minded. She broke the kiss, grazing her fangs over Mora's neck, feeling her pulse beat rapidly through the vein. It was almost too much to keep herself from biting down right then. Her lust and hunger filled her senses and made her head spin, but she wanted to savor this. Mora's blood was a delicacy the likes of which she knew she would never find anywhere else.

"Please," Mora gasped, tilting her head to give Serana as much access as possible. Serana ignored her, trailing one hand, fingers splayed, slowly down Mora's toned stomach, stopping just above the apex of her legs.

"Please," Mora said again desperately, tilting her hips to try and create some much needed contact. Finally obliging, Serana plunged two fingers into Mora's core, already slick with desire, eliciting a wanton cry from the smaller woman. She began to pump them in and out of Mora's heat, soon using her thumb for further stimulation. Her own desire built as Mora arched into her again, mewling incoherently under the pleasurable assault. She trailed kisses over Mora's neck as the elf's hands scrambled for purchase, fisting the sheets below them tightly as her body was racked with spasms.

"S-Serana, I'm-"

The vampire sank her fangs into Mora's neck. Mora screamed, and Serana was barely able to keep herself from being thrown as Mora bucked harshly, her eyes glazing over as her body succumbed to the sensations Serana knew were bombarding every nerve ending. Serana took deep pulls of blood, her mind reeling with lust as Mora's essence flowed into her. It was rich, heady, and made her head spin with power. It was like fire going down her throat, heating her body with a pleasurable burn.

The elf's body continued to tremble as orgasm after orgasm raced through her, Serana refusing to give her even a moment of respite. Eventually, Mora's screams were reduced to occasional gasps for air, her limbs splayed awkwardly as she no longer had the energy or will to move them. Serana removed her fangs, licking over the puncture marks to seal the wound, but still her hand didn't stop. Mora's orgasms began to shorten in length until it seemed like the elf was in one constant climax. Her body was covered in a sheen of sweat, her breasts heaving as she fought for breath. Her head lolled to the side, her eyes staring vacantly into space. Serana leaned down to kiss Mora, the elf's lips were hanging open and she barely even registered the contact, her senses too overloaded to react.

Serana loved it. How Mora had given herself so completely, how all she could feel was the pleasure Serana brought her. She trusted that Serana could put her on the edge of madness, then bring her back just as easily. She loved to see Mora like this, helpless under her touch, knowing that the elf would trust nobody else so completely.

Finally, she stilled her hand, bringing her fingers into her mouth to taste Mora's essence. She moaned as the heady taste raced through her senses, making her lust spike ever higher. She pulled Mora into another deep kiss, pushing her tongue in the elf's mouth, allowing her to taste herself. Eventually, they broke apart, panting, Mora finally gaining some semblance of coherence.

"I-" the elf started, her voice raw and hoarse, "Holy fuck." Serana laughed, gently lifting Mora so she could tuck her into the sheets, before climbing into bed next to her. The smaller woman's eyes began to droop almost immediately, and Serana enveloped Mora's body with her own, spooning the elf as their limbs tangled comfortably. Serana's body was still hot with unfulfilled desire, and her mind was reeling with the lust and power brought on by Mora's blood, but she knew that the elf didn't have the energy left to satisfy her. Besides, Mora would be much more refreshed in the morning…

Serana smiled as Mora began to snore softly, brushing a few errant strands of silky brown hair off the elf's face. She gave one last tender kiss to Mora's neck before following her into sleep, lulled by the sound of her steady heartbeat.

Serana woke to Mora trailing kisses over her jaw, something that she _definitely_ didn't mind. Turning, she pulled the elf into her arms, enjoying the way their bodies fit seamlessly together.

"I need a bath," Mora said, her voice having recovered some from the night before. "Join me?" Serana simply smirked.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, BLIND?!" Dexion Evicus cowered in fear, holding his frail arms in front of his face, as if that would stop Mora if she were truly out for his blood.

"Love, you're scaring him," Serana chided, rubbing Mora's back soothingly before casting a pitying glance at the Moth Priest. The man wore the same ragged robes he had when they had first seen him, but there was a bandage covering his eyes. Apparently he had lost his sight after reading the Elder Scroll for them, as he had just explained to the pair. Mora was clearly livid at the news, but Serana noticed that Dexion, after realising Mora wouldn't hurt him, didn't seem panicked at the prospect, so she assumed he knew of an alternative method to read the scroll.

"Perhaps there is another way," Dexion said, confirming Serana's suspicions.

"There had damn well-"

"We're listening," Serana interrupted, giving Mora a reprimanding look. The elf pouted, skulking slightly behind her.

"Scattered across Tamriel are secluded locations known as Ancestor Glades," the Moth Priest began, "There's one in Skyrim, in the Pine Forest. Performing the Ritual of the Ancestor Moth within the glade should provide you with the answers you seek."

"The Ritual of the Ancestor Moth?" Serana questioned, folding her arms over her chest.

"Yes," continued Dexion, "The ritual involves carefully removing the bark from a Canticle Tree, which in turn will attract Ancestor Moths to you. With enough of the moths, you will be provided with the second sight needed to decipher the scrolls. You will find the glade just East of Falkreath." Serana nodded before remembering that the man could no longer see.

"Thank you," she said kindly, guiding the hot-headed elf away from the man before she could make any more impulsive remarks.

They set off that very day. Despite not having much time to rest, both women were eager to continue their journey, sensing that their quest might finally be coming to a close. Valerica was to stay at the College of Winterhold. Nobody outside the college knew of her presence, so she would be safest there until Harkon could be stopped. While she would no doubt be useful in battle, she was a liability if Harkon discovered her presence, and it would be best to keep her out of the conflict for her own safety. Valerica seemed more than happy to stay behind, the college was the perfect place for her to continue to perfect the magical arts. Serana was secretly relieved, she had expected her mother to argue with her and insist on fighting Harkon head on. Thankfully, Valerica had been too excited about staying at the college to consider such a thing, and had agreed with little reluctance.

The journey to Ancestor's Glade was long but uneventful. They encountered a few bandits and Sabre Cats along the way, neither of which stood a chance against their combined magic. Mora barely even spared such trivial foes a glance before she cut them down. The elf clearly didn't like wasting time with such weak enemies, and often treated them with disdain. Serana wondered if it was the Altmer blood in her, though she supposed that anyone with Mora's power couldn't help but be a bit conceited. She was the Dragonborn afterall, hero to all of Skyrim. That could get to anyone's head.

The glade itself took a bit of searching to find. The entrance was hidden beside a hill and between tall criss crossing rocks, forming a short tunnel beneath them. The women crept forward warily, not entirely sure of what to expect within. When the tunnel ended after a short distance, Serana's eyes went wide with wonder. They were in a massive cavern, light grey stone surrounding them on all sides. Pine trees were scattered about, their roots lodged inside cracks in the stone. A pool of water sparkled serenely in the center of the cavern, fed by crystal clear waterfalls that wended their way down the cavern walls. In the center of the pool was a tree with pink blossoms, illuminated by a single pillar of light coming from a hole in the ceiling of the cavern. Every so often, Serana would catch sight of a flurry of movement as moths flitted about. The moths were gray like the stone beneath their feet, but with swirls of gold along their wings. As they flew, a faint trail of golden light seemed to flow from their wings, hanging suspended in the air for a moment before disappearing into dust.

"Wow," Serana breathed, taking in the sight before her.

"It's beautiful," Mora said before throwing Serana a winning smile and wink, "but not as beautiful as you." The elf looked at her expectantly, not unlike a dog who wanted a treat. Serana rolled her eyes, but gave Mora the quick kiss she obviously felt she earned.

"Maybe after I read the scroll we can-"

"We just had sex in that inn this morning," Serana deadpanned.

"Yeah but-"

"Just go catch the moths, Mora." The elf frowned good-naturedly, but waded obediently through the water to the Canticle Tree, taking a draw knife that was placed conveniently inside a rock nearby. She scraped some of the bark off with her knife, holding it up in her palm. Slowly, the moths began to converge on the pool, where Mora stood in the beam of light. At first they seemed tentative, flitting in and out of vision, but gradually they began to gather around the elf. Grey and gold danced around Mora, obscuring her slightly from Serana's view. As the Ancestor Moths became bolder, a veritable swarm of them fluttering around Mora, the gold of their wings began to glow. Mora began to be encased in a dancing golden light, and Serana found herself short of breath at the sight. Mora's eyes were closed tranquilly, her silky hair waving in a nonexistent breeze, looking almost as if she were asleep. Slowly, she pulled the Elder Scroll from her back, unfurling it in front of her. Her eyes snapped open, and the moths instantly dispersed. Her eyes had changed from emerald green to molten gold, leaving traces of golden afterimages as they moved just like the moth's wings. A bright light began to emanate from the scroll, splitting into tendrils that wrapped themselves around Mora's body, pulsing as if alive. The elf's eyes never left the scroll, nor did they blink, until after what felt like hours the light began to fade away. The scroll tumbled out of Mora's grip as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Serana gasped, darting forward just in time to catch the elf as her legs buckled beneath her. Serana's brow furrowed in concern. There were no visible injuries on the elf, but Elder Scrolls could clearly harm the reader in unforeseen ways. Mora blinked blearily at her for a moment, before her eyes shot wide open, fear written plainly over her face. Serana felt a sharp pain in the back of her skull, and as her vision faded into blackness the last thing she heard was Mora's scream.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello once again, readers. A bit of a short chapter, but at least it's an exciting one. Feel free as always to send me your review and PMs, I always love to hear them. Also, this story hit 100 follows last night! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me to this point.**

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Serana's head pounded with pain. Her limbs felt heavy and weak, and as she struggled to sit a wave of nausea ran through her at the movement of her aching head. Slowly, she reached up to clutch at her throbbing skull, and her fingers came away covered in blood. The putrid stench of burnt flesh slammed into her, and as she struggled to breathe she could feel that the air was hot and dry, burning as it entered her lungs. Slowly she forced her eyes open, though she still felt weary and lethargic. As her vision focused, she let out a raspy cry of alarm, quickly scrambling to find enough purchase to stand. At first glance, she thought that she had been sent to Oblivion, but as she swiveled her gaze around her new surroundings it became apparent that she was still in Ancestor Glade, albeit a drastically altered one. The Moths and trees that used to populate the cavern were no more. Only ash remained, the fine powder still drifting down to coat the grey stone beneath her. The walls were blackened in places, and many stones were overturned or crumbling. The sparkling pool that once dominated the center of the room was no more, only a barren crater remained, and the Canticle Tree was little more than a charred stump. Littering the path down to the once beautiful tree were bodies. They were blackened and charred, their limbs twisted at odd angles. In a daze, Serana remembered vaguely that she had been in the pool, not upon the ledge she currently occupied. Someone, or something, had clearly moved her. Slowly, as dread sank into her very bones, she fell to her knees. She knew of only one person with the power to cause such destruction.

Mora.

In a daze, she stumbled to the entrance, ignoring the pounding in her skull as panic threatened to overtake any coherent thought. As she scrambled around blackened and overturned stones, a roar tore through the air, making the stones tremble beneath her feet. Serana quickened her pace, a sob escaping her lips as another surge of dread coursed through her. Finally, she reached the entrance to the glade. As she staggered out, she felt any semblance of hope leave her, only to be replaced with cold fear.

The sky was a rusty crimson color, obscured slightly by black clouds, which swirled ominously in some unseen vortex. Meteors rained from the sky, impacting the ground in explosions of fire and destruction. The lush forest around the glade was replaced with charred tree stumps and ash, large scars scattered in the earth from meteor impacts.

" **VEN MUL RIIK!** " The force of the words caused Serana to stumble, even as she rushed heedlessly towards the sound. It had definitely been Mora's voice, though it was obscured and warped, malice dripping from every syllable. A thick fog began to descend, hanging heavily over the ground, reducing Serana's vision drastically. The air felt thick, filled with an almost tangible evil. Serana felt a tug, like something was trying to- Her eyes widened in a mixture of astonishment and fear.

 _The fog. It's a Soul Trap._ She had never seen anything like that before. Soul Traps were always used on a single target, something that could cause the effect in an area, and a large one at that, was unfathomable, not to mention cruel. Soul snares were most often used on animals and beasts, or perhaps foes while in the midst of combat. The idea that someone would try to trap the souls of everyone and everything in an area, indiscriminate as to who or what they were, was a cruel display of a complete disregard for life. Serana quickened her pace, praying that no innocent lives had already been lost.

As she sprinted through the fog, dodging the charred tree stumps that loomed before her, she began to see bodies. The ground quickly became slick with blood, and Serana fought not to gag at the sight. Many of the charred bodies were cleaved completely in half or were missing heads, their innards spilling onto the ground. Some of their faces were contorted in pain and fear, others were burnt beyond recognition.

" **Weak.** " Mora's voice came from just ahead of Serana, and she burst forward, finally close enough to be able to see the elf in the fog. Mora stood facing away from Serana, her head cocked to one side contemplatively as she regarded the bleeding vampire she was holding by the neck. Her brown hair danced lazily in the swirling fog, a picture of beauty at odds with the death all around them.

"B-bitch," the vampire gasped, his hands scrambling desperately to free himself.

" **Beg** ," Mora said, " **Beg for your life.** "

"Please," he wheezed, fighting for each breath, tears leaving trails in the dirt that covered his face.

Mora smiled as she crushed his throat. He fell to the ground with a sick gurgling sound, blood pouring from his mouth. Serana fought not to scream, unable to pry her eyes away from the dying man.

" **You** **are** **strong** ," Mora said with twisted glee, " **I can feel it**." Serana met Mora's gaze, and was unable to stifle a gasp. Mora's eyes were pure gold, glowing ominously in the fog.

"This isn't you, Mora," Serana said, praying that she could get through to the woman.

" **But you will kneel** ," Mora said contemplatively, ignoring Serana's words. The elf took a step towards her, spinning her blade effortlessly, swirling the fog around her.

"I don't want to fight you," Serana ground out, even as she drew the dagger at her hip.

" **Then you will die.** "

Serana was only just nimble enough to parry the blade that arched towards her neck. As fast as she had struck, Mora was gone, hidden somewhere in the mist. The air began to grow heavy with Mora's power, stifling the breath from Serana's lungs. She forced herself to breath regularly, reversing her dagger and settling into a defensive stance.

A slight shift in the mist was the only warning she had before Mora was upon her. She sidestepped the thrust to her middle, spinning to parry a slash at her chest. She made eye contact with Mora for a moment, and saw a twisted, maniacal grin on her face, before she was again forced to block a strike from Mora's blade. As the deadly weapon whipped around her, the air keening with its speed, Mora began to laugh. It was void of all the joy usually present in Mora's laugh, echoing strangely through the fog. Serana grit her teeth, tears prickling at the edge of her vision. The Mora she knew was gone, somehow subdued by something dark. Something evil.

Again, Mora exploded from the mist, her blade humming through the air. Her speed was unlike anything Serana had ever seen. As a vampire, she should have easily been faster than any mortal. Instead, she was hard pressed to avoid the flurry of strikes that rained down on her. If she blinked once, if she hesitated, if she faltered, she would die. Her senses strained to see through the fog, to hear Mora's light feet over the barren earth, to smell the fire that always clung to her. It was as if Serana's body knew that it was a mere moment away from death, never before had she felt so alert. It was painfully obvious now, just how skilled Mora was. The elf's smile said that to her, this was just a game. She hadn't even used her Thu'um or magical abilities, and Serana was already hard pressed just to survive. She had experienced her share of battle, but never had she felt so overwhelmed. Mora disappeared from view once again, and Serana reacted too late to fully avoid the blow that cleaved open her back. Blood splattered to the ground, but Serana forced herself to ignore the pain as she blocked the strike that would have decapitated her.

Only when Mora disappeared again did she stagger, the wound having taking its toll on her body. _If this is a battle of monsters…_ Serana closed her eyes, she had always tried to avoid the darkest side of herself, the side that, like Mora's, are way at her self control. The side that just wanted to _devour_.

A blade flashed out of the mist, faster than most could follow. Serana caught the wrist of the wielder in her own clawed hand. The elf had barely enough time to form a surprised expression before Serana other hand grabbed her face, large enough to completely obscure it, before slamming her head into the ground.

" **Enough** ," Serana commanded, imbuing her words with the persuasive magic of her kind. She let go of the woman, standing to her full height, which had grown considerably. Her skin was ashen gray, stretched taught over muscle and sinew. Her hair was replaced with curved horns that protruded from her skull like some sort of headdress. Two large wings stretched out from either shoulder blade, the thin membrane shifted with her every movement. Her face had morphed into something more primal and sinister, looking alien and angular in the faint light. The elf scrambled to her feet, once more rushing Serana, who now towered over her. The vampire noticed that this time, however, there was hesitation in Mora's movement. Serana's persuasion was most powerful in this form, it was impressive that Mora had been able to resist at all.

" **Stop** ," she commanded again. Once mora, the elf faltered, her sword wavering for a brief moment before she resumed her attack.

" **Krii Lun Aus.** " A wave of purple energy washed over Serana, forcing her to stagger back despite her increased size. Mora quickly pushed her advantage, landing what should have been a glancing blow on her upper arm. The cut was shallow, but Serana hissed in pain. In this form, she was much more difficult to wound, and healed rapidly, but somehow Mora's shout had rendered her flesh far more susceptible to injury. She grit her teeth, grabbing Mora's arm as she went for another blow. She was easily able to keep up with the elf now, but Mora still showed no sign of halting her attack, despite Serana's persuasive magic. The vampire had more attacks at her disposal, but didn't want to overly injure the elf unless she was forced to.

" **YOL!** " Serana was forced to let of Mora fire erupted from her mouth, swiftly sidestepping the monstrous heat of the flames.

" **Mora, if you're in there, you need to stop this.** " She tried to make her words sound gentle, which proved difficult in her current form, coming out more of an angry hiss. Mora's attacks still didn't cease, but as Serana dodged a downwards slash, she saw tears running down the elf's face.

" **You can fight this, I know you can** ," she pressed. Serana lept backwards, flaring her wings to gain some extra distance. A choked sob escape the elf, and finally she came to a trembling halt, collapsing to her knees.

" **I'm sorry.** " She reversed her blade, grasping it with both hands, before plunging it into her chest.

" **I love you.** " Slowly, she slumped to the ground, her brown hair fanning out over the dirt.

Serana rushed to her side, reverting to her usual form. Her mind was reeling, unable to comprehend what was in front of her. Already, a pool of blood was expanding underneath the elf, her robes soaked in crimson. She pulled Mora's limp body into her arms, which she vaguely noticed were trembling. Despite the fog that swirled around them, Serana, as she looked into Mora's flickering eyes, had a moment of perfect clarity. There was no way in Oblivion she would allow her little elf to die.

"I'm sorry too," she said softly, her voice trembling. She extended her fangs, and slowly bit into Mora's neck.


	18. Chapter 18

**This chapter was surprisingly difficult for me to write. It's a bit on the short side, but was necessary to get out of the way so we can move on with the story. Hopefully, the next chapter will come more easily.**

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Pain. That's the first thing Mora registered as she struggled to regain any semblance of consciousness. Her whole body throbbed with an agony more intense than she had ever felt, like her whole body was one giant bruise, though there was no visible damage.

It was strange, she had expected death to be so easy. Already she had visited the Hall of Valor in Sovngarde, but as she was only half Nord she didn't fully expect to be welcomed there after her death. In truth, she had never given death very much thought. She had fought innumerable foes, very few of which had ever landed a hit on her. And yet she had died by her own hand, because she was too weak to keep her nature at bay. She didn't remember much of what had occurred, just flashes of confusion and jumbled images, until she was able to wrestle control over herself. When she had seen Serana injured, something in her had snapped. Everything she had tried so hard to suppress came flooding out, and it had felt so _good_.

She shook herself out of such thoughts, turning towards the matter at hand. Apparently, even in death she felt her usual hunger, but it was different. Changed. Something had replaced her gnawing desire, it was like a piece of her being she didn't know was missing had been repaired. Steeling herself against her pain, she opened her eyes, ready to confront whatever afterlife awaited her. What she saw was not even close to her expectations.

She was in a cave, which despite its barren appearance was surprisingly warm and light. As she looked around, she noticed that there was nothing around to illuminate the rocky walls, and yet she could see just fine. Confused, she began to struggle to sit upright.

"Mora?" The tentative voice had her turning around to find-

"Serana?" The women in question quickly rushed to her side, helping her fully into a sitting position, even as her mind was racing. Obviously she wasn't dead, despite her injuries, but Serana interrupted her thoughts before she could reach any conclusions.

"How do you feel?" She asked anxiously, her eyes quickly scanning Mora's features. Mora noticed that Serana's eyes stopped for a brief moment on her own, before quickly looking away.

"Serana...I'm-" Her voice choked with emotion as memories came flooding back to her. Not only had she lost all control, killing vampires ruthlessly and indiscriminately, she had hurt Serana. The one woman she had promised herself she would always protect. The weight of her failure hung heavily on her soul, as did the knowledge of her weakness.

"Mora." Serana's voice was soft yet commanding, and the elf couldn't help but meet her gaze. The vampire's eyes were hard, but not angry as she brushed Mora's cheek with her thumb in a comforting gesture.

"This isn't your fault," she said quietly, "You weren't in control." Anger bubbled to the surface at the words, and Mora bristled despite the kind intent.

"That's the problem! I'm...I'm a monster." She trailed off, her anger quickly fading, only to be replaced with a hopelessness she had never felt before. Serana's lithe arms quickly wrapped around her, offering what small comfort they could.

"We all have our demons. You've seen mine," Serana offered. Mora couldn't help a dry chuckle at that. Serana's demonic form was certainly something to witness firsthand. It was very rare that someone could stand against her in open combat, though she had forced herself to hold back as she struggled to stop fighting her love. She shuddered to think what could have happened if she fully succumbed to the dragon within her mind. Again her thoughts drifted to _that_ particular part of her. She had noticed it before, but the more she thought about it, it felt like the evil that had always been present had faded. As she focused on it, she began to notice something else. Emotions. Happiness, sorrow, worry, love. Emotions that she could feel, but were not her own. It was difficult for her to describe, her own emotions were still clear and intact, but something both foreign and familiar was dissipating emotions, both mirroring and differing from her own.

"Serana," she said in dawning realisation, "I can feel y- OW!" She reached a hand to her lip, wincing when her fingers brushed the small puncture. She drew them away, blood lingering on her fingertips.

"What the-" she mumbled, once more pressing her fingers into the small injury. She felt something make contact with her fingers. Something hard and sharp. It took only a moment for her touch to identify it as one of her canines, which had elongated into fangs. It was then, in dawning realisation, that she noticed the pallor of her hands, and a rush of fear as she tasted her own blood, delicious nectar on her tongue.

* * *

It had taken some time for Serana to fully explain what life would be like as a vampire. Mora decided that the change was easier than she had originally thought it would be, despite the temporary pain and weakness she had experienced upon waking up. In actuality, she hadn't felt this good in a long time. Apparently the process of turning a vampire generated some sort of bond between the fledgling and master. That explained why Mora could feel emotions other than her own, they were Serana's feelings leaking through their newly forged bond. Mora wasn't sure if being turned removed the evil piece of her soul, or if Serana's simply overpowered it, but she didn't care. While the incident at the glen was a blow to her confidence, she could feel that she no longer had to worry about losing control again in that way. That part of her was still there, she could tell, but it was muted. Of course, she would have to deal with a newfound thirst for blood, but she would think about that later. She knew that she hadn't tapped very far into exactly what it meant to be a Volkihar vampire, but at the moment she was simply grateful for how easy the transition was. Still, she had noticed increased vision, hearing, and scent. Serana had created a mirror of ice to allow her to take a look at herself, and she couldn't say she was displeased with the results. Her skin was a shade more pale, but not as much so as Serana's due no doubt to her Altmer blood. Her eyes were a rich gold instead of their former emerald, which in her opinion looked _totally awesome_. Serana had been as perplexed as she as to why her eyes weren't the usual orange of Volkihar vampires, however. All in all, she didn't mind the change nearly as much as she could have expected. Perhaps if she hadn't already considered letting Serana turn her, the change would have been more difficult to manage. Instead, it felt somewhat like a clean slate. She could forget about the terrors that plagued her for so long, and focus finally on defeating Harkon. In a strange twist, it seemed that vampirism lessened her previous burden, instead of increasing it.

Her thought's were interrupted suddenly by the most delicious scent she had ever imagined. It was like the sweetest ambrosia, tantalizing and pure like a Siren's song. It quickly overwhelmed her senses, until she could no longer focus on anything but the smell. Her body moved on its own, as if in a dream, and she felt herself stalking forwards, oblivious to her surroundings. All semblance of thought rapidly left her, leaving only a blind hunger in its wake.

A body. Still warm. Blood. _Delicious_. She sank her fangs in, blood dripping messily down her chin. Her mind whirled. She felt _strong_. Power was rushing through her veins, heady and intoxicating in its intensity.

A gentle hand tried to pry her away from the body. A growl escaped her throat, but she did not budge, favoring to continue her feast.

"Mora. That's enough." The words were softly spoken, yet commanding in a way that left Mora no choice but to obey. She lifted her chin, blood dripping from the corners of her lips, to look at Serana. As quickly as she had lost control at the scent of blood, her coherency came rushing back. She scrambled away from the body, quickly wiping the blood off her face.

"The first time is always like that," Serana said calmly. Too calmly, Mora thought, as she looked at the remainder of the woman's throat.

"If you feed regularly, it won't happen again." Mora turned her head towards the other vampire, who regarded her regally, before nodding. She didn't like it, the mindless hunger, but if it was only this once…

"Who is she?" Mora asked, glancing once more at the bloody tatters of flesh that had once been her prey's neck. Serana waved a hand airily.

"A bandit. I knew you would be getting...hungry, so I brought you a fresh meal. This way, we could get your first feeding over with, without any unnecessary problems." The elf nodded, it was to be expected that she wouldn't have full control over her newfound thirst for blood in the beginning.

"And our...connection?" She questioned. The new link between the pair wasn't something that Mora minded, though she was unsure as to the extent of the bond.

"Ah." Serana fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment, not meeting Mora's gaze. "I don't know too much about it, but I know that I probably have some measure of...control over you. Nothing too powerful, mind you," she added hastily at Mora's grimace, "Just a bit of influence. It's probably the reason you've been taking your transformation so well." She gave the elf an apologetic glance. Mora supposed she could live with that. She trusted Serana implicitly, and the older vampire already had plenty of sway over her even before she was turned.

"Serana...about what happened," she began warily, cursing the weakness in her own voice. The older woman sighed tiredly.

"We went over this Mora. You weren't in control. You said that being changed helped." She offered Mora a small smile.

"What if something happens to you," Mora voiced, a tinge of fear running through her.

"Nothing will happen to me," Serana said gently, laying a comforting hand on her thigh.

"But what if-"

"Mora," Serana interrupted, "look at me." Grudgingly, the elf met her orange eyes, which were uncharacteristically soft. "We'll deal with this. Together." She let out a short laugh. "Hell, you're probably stronger than ever now."

"Together, then." Serana smiled warmly.

"Always."


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the wait! However...this is the longest chapter I've written so far! Hopefully that is worth something. As always, feel free to contact me with questions, concerns, and thought, I love to hear them. Enjoy.**

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It took several weeks for Mora to fully get used to her vampirism. To say she was pleased...would be an understatement. She had always had one weakness, and now it was gone. Nothing would hold her back anymore. Nothing could.

She had discovered the extent of her new abilities when she had needed to feed for the second time. She and Serana had crept up to a bandit camp, seeing easily through the darkness with their enhanced vision. Killing the bandits had been easy. Her sword cut through them as if they were wheat. It appeared as if they were moving in slow motion to her, as she whirled around them faster than they could follow. She drank deeply that day, enjoying the sensation of power flowing through her veins. She smiled. She smiled because Harkon stood no chance.

" **Yol.** " Her voice was a whisper. Her Thu'um was an inferno.

The camp was nothing more than ash.

* * *

Serana had allowed her to walk outside in the light of the sun the following morning. To their surprise, it had little effect on the elf. Whether it was her dragon blood, or her affinity and preference to fire they didn't know. All Mora cared about was that she had all the benefits of being a vampire with little downside. She threw back her hood, only experiencing slight discomfort under the bright rays of sun. She turned her golden gaze towards Serana, who was pouting good-naturedly under the shade of a tree.

She crossed the distance between them in a few strides, laughing as she pulled the taller woman into her arms.

Her heart was dead, yet it had been a long time since it had felt so light.

* * *

The pair set out again a few days later, heading North to Darkfall Cave. The Elder Scroll had given Mora the location, and it wasn't difficult to find the opening nestled into a mountainside. Hopefully, Auriel's Bow would be waiting for them inside, and they could finally see Harkon dead. By this point, however, Mora realised that it would never be so easy.

The cave was as dark as its name suggested, and despite her enhanced vision Mora quickly conjured a flame in her right palm to allow them to see. A flickering orange glow illuminated the cave, casting long shadows over the many natural stone pillars that supported the rocky ceiling. An underground river reflected the shifting light onto the stone walls, the pair quickly skirting around the edge to move deeper into the cave.

It only took a few minutes for a faint glow to appear through the murky blackness of the cave, which was revealed to be several torches as they drew nearer. A man stood silently among the lights, in front of what looked to be a shrine. To his right, a dome of carved stone rose above the water, an ornate sigil of Auriel carved into the top. The man turned to face them, regarding them which shrewd light blue eyes. His skin was even more pale than Serana's and seemed to glow slightly in the torchlight, further accentuated by his white hair. He wore a suit of white armor, embossed with black swirling patterns on his greaves and pauldrons.

"I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor," he spoke, his sharp voice echoing slightly through the cave, "Welcome to the Great Chantry of Auriel."

"Are you a Falmer?" Mora blurted, ignoring his greeting. She supposed that was why Serana had instructed her to let the older woman do most of the talking when they were out on "business". It didn't escape her how Serana immediately tugged her back, putting herself closer to the man as if reigning in a child. Mora suppressed a huff.

"I prefer the term Snow Elf, but yes," Gelebor said blandly, "The name falmer usually holds a negative meaning to most travelers. Those twisted creatures you call falmer, I call the betrayed."

"I imagine you know why we're here," Serana said. The man fixed his icy-blue gaze to the taller woman, before dipping his head in confirmation.

"Of course. You are here for Auriel's Bow. I can help you get it, but first I must have your assistance." Mora rolled her eyes.

"Ha, I bet y-"

"Mora," Serana cut in sternly, giving her an admonishing look, "What did we talk about?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Mora grumbled, "Seen, not heard."

"What is it you need?" Serana asked, turning back to the Snow Elf who was regarding Mora with vague curiosity.

"I need you to kill Arch-Curate Vyrthur...my brother."

"And why is that?" Asked Serana, folding her arms to give Gelebor her shrewdest stare.

"The kinship between us is gone. I don't understand what he's become, but he is no longer the brother I once knew. It was the Betrayed...they did something to him."

"What exactly did they do?" Serana asked curiously.

"They swept into the Chantry without warning and began killing everyone without pause. We tried to fight back, but their numbers overwhelmed us. They stormed the Inner Sanctum, where I believe they corrupted Vyrthur."

"So you don't even know if he's alive," Serana pointed out.

"I do, I've seen him," the snow elf responded. "But something's wrong. He never looks as though he's in pain or under duress, he just...stands there and watches, as though waiting."

"And _you_ can't go into the Inner Sanctum?" Serana asked pointedly. The elf shook his head solemnly.

"Leaving the Wayshrines unguarded would be violating my sacred duty as a Knight-Paladin of Auriel. Besides, an assault on the Inner Sanctum would only end in my death."

"Wayshrines?"

"Yes, let me show you." The elf gestured to the large stone dome that Mora had seen earlier, summoning a spell in his palm as he approached it. When he released the spell, which Mora didn't recognise, the sigil at the top of the dome pulsed once, before the whole structure lifted from the ground in the grinding of stone. The dome turned out to be the roof of a small octagonal room, with an ornate stone arch as the entrance. Inside, a single pool of water was held in a carved basin.

"This is a Wayshrine. They were used for meditation or for transport when the chantry was a place of enlightenment. Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auriel to our initiates."

"What's that basin in the center signify?" Serana asked, peering into the stone room.

"Once the initiate completed his mantras, he'd dip a ceremonial ewer into the basin and proceed to the next wayshrine.

"So these initiates had to lug around a heavy pitcher of water, marvellous" Serana said sarcastically. "How long would they have to do that?"

"Well, once the initiate's enlightenment was complete, he'd bring the ewer to the chantry's inner sanctum. Pouring the contents of the ewer into the sacred basin at the sanctum would allow him to enter for an audience with the Arch-Curate himself."

"All that just to end up dumping it out?" Serana questioned, a hint of distaste in her voice, "Makes no sense to me."

"It's symbolic," Gelebor responded shortly, "I don't expect you to understand."

"So let's get this straight. We need to do all that nonsense to get into the temple so we can kill your brother and claim Auriel's Bow?"

"I know how it all sounds," The snow elf conceded, "But if there was another way I'd have done it long ago. You will need to make the journey, just as the initiates did." He turned, quickly striding to a chest beside the wayshrine and removing what appeared to be a large silver pitcher.

"Here is the ewer, dip it into the water at each of the wayshrines and you will be able to reach my brother. May Auriel guide you." Mora accepted the ewer, grimacing at the idea that she'd have to carry it around with her.

A surge of magic captured Mora's attention, and she turned to find a portal appearing on one of the wayshrines walls.

"Well," Serana sighed, "here we go."

* * *

They found themselves in another cave, lit every so often by what appeared to be a glowing purple fungus growing on the walls. They were only a few steps in when an ominous scuttling cut through the otherwise silent inkiness of the cave. _Please, please, please Akatosh don't let them be-_

A falmer lept from a ledge with a hiss, brandishing an crudely shaped sword. It's feet didn't even reach the ground before Mora casually lopped its head off with a quick slash of her blade.

"Oh thank the Divines," she breathed, "They're falmer." She felt faint confusion, as well as amusement through her link with Serana, but the older woman didn't make a comment.

The next hour or so was spent slashing through the numerous falmer that jumped out at them, or in Serana's case, freezing them solid. The cave itself was as gloomy as ever, but the falmer never posed much of a threat, especially with the enhanced vision the vampires possessed. At first Mora had found it to be fun, effortlessly slaying the twisted creatures with the flick of her wrist, or a whisper from her lips, but it began to get old. Swiftly stabbing a falmer through its chest, she spun to find another bounding towards her, hissing angrily all the while.

"Great," she drawled unenthusiastically, "There are more of them." Serana smiled faintly, gracefully flicking a spike of ice through the creature's forehead.

"Come now," said the older woman, "I know you love a good fight."

"Well, yeah. But this doesn't even come close to a _good_ fight." Serana laughed, beckoning Mora to follow her further into the cave. The elf turned to wipe her blade clean on the tattered cloth of one of the falmer's tents, when she almost ran into Serana, who had stopped abruptly.

"By the Eight," the older woman whispered. Mora stood on her toes to peer over Serana's shoulder, and was for once at a loss for words at the sight.

The cave had suddenly opened up into a huge cavern, the black walls lined with mosses and fungal growths. Dotting the cavern were massive mushrooms, at least twice as tall as the women, that glowed with a strange purple light, pulsing eerily as if they had a heartbeat. A waterfall descended from the center of the ceiling, filling a gleaming pool at the bottom of the grotto.

"There," Serana said, pointing to the far side of the cavern. "It's the wayshrine." Mora quickly spotted the stone dome, adorned with a sigil of Auriel.

"Finally," she groaned, "I just want to get the bow and get out of here."

"You realise this is only the first of five wayshrines we need to visit, right?" Serana asked tentatively.

"Fuck."

* * *

Luckily, the wayshrine transported them so that they were no longer stuck in an endless cave. They emerged from the gloom to find themselves in a large valley, surrounded on all sides by snow-capped mountains. Deer with hides of a shade and pattern Mora had never seen before bounded past, quickly disappearing in a flurry of snow. Despite the conifers and snow, a dead giveaway that they were still in Skyrim, the valley seemed to be something out of a fairytale. I had an air about it, that it was unexplored, a lost corner of Skyrim preserved in the permafrost. Mora felt her teeth chatter, and soon wished that she had brought more warm clothing than her simple archmage armor.

"I hate the cold," she grumbled, scuffing the toe of her boot into the frozen ground. A brief flash of surprise hit her through her link with Serana, and she turned to find the woman scrutinizing her with interest.

"I don't think I've heard a vampire complain about being cold before." Mora grunted.

"Yeah? Well I'm pretty sure I've done a lot of things that nobody has ever done before." The older vampire simply shrugged at that.

"Point taken. Still, vampirism is supposed to give resistance to the cold, while in turn increasing vulnerability to fire," she mused. "I wonder what else if different about your turning." Mora shrugged.

"We can find that out later. Right now we have to go on a fun adventure and collect some fucking water."

"Language," Serana said absently, inspecting a yellow flower that Mora didn't recognise, before picking it and putting it gently in the pouch at her hip. Mora rolled her eyes.

"Yes, mother."

* * *

They had collected water from all but one of the wayshrines as dusk began to fall. The endeavor went largely without incident, save for a brief moment involving a few frostbite spiders and no small amount of screaming on Mora's part. She had almost spilled some of the water in the ewer she had been carrying around all day, which had caused Serana to promptly take it from her, something that she didn't mind in the slightest.

The pair were approaching a lake, high above most of the valley. It seemed to feed the many waterfalls that cascaded down the frozen cliffs of the vale, though it was completely frozen over. They were about to go around, when Mora stopped suddenly. She felt a thrum of magic, faint but there, calling to her. She quickly turned, taking swift strides to the frozen lake, ignoring Serana's questioning glances. She could feel it, stronger now, ancient voices reaching her ears.

She approached a crumbling stone structure, faint scratches etched into the rock. Her hand reached out on its own, brushing the runes as tendrils of magic swirled around her. A chant echoed loudly in her skull, and a whisper escaped her lips.

" **Lah.** " As the shout washed over the stone, she vaguely felt wonder emanating from her link with Serana. She shook herself from her stupor, turning to apologize, when an explosion shook the ice they stood on. Stumbling, Mora had barely enough time to see the glint of scales before another explosion sent her reeling as a second dragon erupted from below the ice. She had just enough time to conjure a shield of magic before flames poured over them, their deafening roar drowning out Serana's scream. Mora grit her teeth, her feet scrambling for purchase on the smooth surface of the ice. As soon as the flames had hit, they were gone, and both dragons had taken to the sky.

"Serana," she bit out, "I need you to run. Go to that cave we passed not too long ago and-" Another torrent of flame washed over them, passing harmlessly over Mora's golden shield.

"Don't come out until I get you."

"I won't-"

"GO! You're weaker against their fire breath, and I can't let you get caught in the crossfire." She felt a mixture of worry, anger, and frustration from Serana.

"You'd better come back," Serana warned, but Mora could feel her fear.

"Of course," Mora responded grimly. Her eyes were fixed on the two dragons that circled overhead, but she could sense Serana's departure even through the growing snowfall.

" **Let's dance!** " Her Thu'um shook the ice, causing several sharp cracks to ring out as it fissured. The snow that had settled on the slick surface was blasted back violently as Mora released her magic, forming a large circle around her that was devoid of snow.

" **STRUN BAH QO!** " The snow began to fall even harder than before, whipped into flurries by the harsh wind that came howling down the mountains. Clouds roiled in the sky, darkening rapidly at her call. As the first spark of lightning split the sky, Mora allowed herself a smirk.

The dragons swooped in tandem, smoke billowing from the corners of their jaws. One passed overhead, laying a line of flame over the elf, which she blocked with a powerful pulse of magic. The second slammed into the ground in front of her, the ice groaning under its weight. It swiped its tail, only to be met by Mora's flashing blade. The creature roared in agony as muscle was severed, blood spurting from the wound, draining into the cracks in the ice. She tried to sweep forward to press her advantage, only to have to roll out of the way as the other dragon dove once more, coming to a halt next to its companion. Lightning split the sky, blinding her for a moment as it struck down next to the dragons. Ice exploded outwards from the point of impact, and the following boom of thunder was loud enough for Mora to feel it in her chest. The dragons eyed her warily, perhaps deciding it would be best to fight on the ground while the storm still raged. They would be wrong, of course. The lightning struck at random, oblivious to friend or foe. If they took to the skies, they would at least have a small chance of escaping.

" **YOL!** " Her fire split the falling snow, only to be met by the inferno of the two dragons' flames. Before either attack could dissipate, Mora had launched a fireball from her palm, connecting with a wing. The thin membrane was quickly eaten away by the hungry flames, scales popping under the intense heat. Shrugging off the attack, both dragons rushed her in an attempt to overwhelm their much smaller foe.

" **FUS!** " Wind whipped around them as the dragons came to a shuddering halt, meeting the force of her shout head on. Their claws scratched deep trenches in the ice as they were pushed back, bowing their heads against the concussive force. The dragons prepared to launch another salvo of fire, smoke pouring from their mouths. Mora smirked. As if she would give them the chance.

" **Kneel before your Thur.** " She unleashed as much of her magic as she could, and around her the world erupted in flame. The inferno washed over the two dragons, their roars of agony a testament to its heat. Lightning split the sky once more, crashing down over one of the dragons, as if the Divines themselves had decided to smite it down. The second followed shortly after, succumbing to the flames that burned it to the bone. As the flames cleared, the dragons' blackened flesh began peeling away into wisps of burning skin, drifting in the air before disappearing into the falling snow.

* * *

The final wayshrine had been much more trouble to get to. After many frustrating hours of running around over a maze of bridges and winding pathways, the pair had finally reached their destination. The Falmer that occupied the area were at least a useful source of blood for the pair, though they tasted, in Mora's words "fucking awful". Serana hadn't been pleased with Mora about forcing her to hide while the elf was out fighting, but thankfully was level-headed enough to see the reason behind it. Mora's shouts were very deadly to anyone around the user, and her magical attacks were more of the same. Her magical abilities were best in open areas, where she could wreak havoc over a large space, using her sword for close combat against single targets. Besides, Mora knew that with her winning smile and good looks, Serana could never stay mad at her. Luckily for Mora's dwindling patience, they had reached the last wayshrine, because after so many hours of swatting away falmer she _really_ just wanted to kill Gelebor's brother and be done with the whole ordeal. It was, then, a great relief that the Inner Sanctum happened to be right next to the final wayshrine.

The sanctum itself was far more impressive than the rest of the valley, especially since Mora had grown far too accustomed to the falmer's crude architecture during the past hours. It was made of grey stone, nestled into the mountainside. It looked more like a castle than a temple, with sweeping arches and massive stone walls. They strode into the courtyard, which despite having long been frozen over was quite impressive. A massive statue of Auriel was flanked by two curved staircases leading to the large double doors at the temple's entrance.

"This place," Serana began, swivelling her head to look around the courtyard, "It feels...strange. I'm not sure how to describe it." Mora could feel Serana''s worry through their link, and had to agree with the sentiment. Something was off about the whole place, but they had a mission to complete. They mounted the staircase side by side, halting at an empty basin at the upper landing. Serana stepped forward, pouring the contents of the ewer into its waiting aperture.

It merely took a moment for the water to magically recede from the basin, before the massive double doors creaked open on their own accord. Warily, the pair crossed the threshold, only to have their previous suspicions confirmed. Around a shrine of Auriel were bodies. They were all turned towards the shrine, their arms held up as if to shield themselves, completely encased in ice. Whatever had frozen them had done it instantly, for them to still be standing as they were. Their footsteps echoed loudly through the otherwise silent room, only adding to the eeriness of the scene.

"I don't like this," Serana muttered, trepidation clear in her tone. Mora winced at the way her voiced echoed eerily off the stone walls, but nodded her head in agreement.

She did not like this at all.

As they made their way through the crumbling temple, that feeling didn't let up a bit. There were hundreds of frozen bodies, but no sign of a single living creature. The temple seemed to be preserved in time, as if in one instant everything had been frozen in ice. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound. It made Mora's skin crawl.

"Up ahead," Serana whispered, gesturing to a large hall in front of them. Like all the previous rooms, there were frozen bodies, but these were different. They were lined neatly on either side of the hall, far too orderly for them to be there by chance. At the end of the hall was a throne, ornately carved from the same grey stone as the surrounding walls. On it, leaning casually to the side, one arm propping his head up as if in boredom, sat a man. His pallor easily gave him away as a snow elf, as did the icy color of his eyes as he regarded them sharply.

"Did you really come here expecting to claim Auriel's Bow?" He asked, boredom evident in his tone. "You've done exactly as I predicted, and you've brought your fetching companion to me."

"Wait...is he talking about me?" Serana murmured.

"I don't know, I always thought I was the fetching one," Mora chirped, only to earn a slight groan from the taller woman.

"Not the time, love."

"Which I'm sorry to say means your usefulness is at an end," the man continued, ignoring them completely. With a lazy gesture of his hand, the bodies flanking the hall erupted from the ice and rushed the pair of vampires. Mora's blade was out in a flash, quickly decapitating a falmer before it had a chance to strike.

"If you wish to kill me," she drawled, casually cleaving through one of the animated corpses, "you may want to do it yourself." Serana dealt with the falmer with similar ease, obliterating them with her magic before they could reach her.

"An impressive display, but a wasted effort. You merely delay your own deaths." A loud crack made Mora look up, just in time to dive to the side to avoid chunks of stone that rained down as the ceiling caved in. Serana had been forced to the other side of the room, using a magical shield to avoid the falling projectiles.

"As I said," Mora spat, "you're going to have to come down here and kill me yourself." The man regarded her for a moment, before standing slowly from his throne.

"Very well." That was all the warning Mora had before she was blasted off her feet as a massive explosion of magic obliterated the walls around them. She felt her back strike something hard, shards of ice piercing her torso as the was flung across the room. She landed hard, and bile rose to her throat as pain washed over her.

"Mora!" Serana rushed to her side, gently turning her on her side. Tenderly, she brushed Mora's hair out of her eyes, before her eyes hardened as she saw the wounds the elf had suffered.

"Let me handle this one," she said decisively, standing to face the snow elf, who had moved to the large balcony behind the hall.

"You'd better come back," Mora managed with a small grin. Serana didn't look back.

"Of course." With long strides, she crossed the hall, her orange gaze set in a ruthless glare.

"Enough of this, Vyrthur! Give us the bow."

"How dare you! I was the Arch-Curate of Auriel, girl. I had the ear of a god!"

"Until the betrayed corrupted you, yeah, we've heard this sad story," Serana spat sarcastically.

"Gelebor and his kind are easily manipulated fools! Look into my eyes, Serana. You tell me what I am." Mora saw Serana pause for a moment, before recoiling slightly in surprise.

"You- You're a vampire? But Auriel should have protected you!"

"The moment I was infected by one of my own initiates, Auriel turned his back on me," the man ground out. "I swore I'd have my revenge, no matter what the cost."

"You want to take revenge...on a god?" Serana asked incredulously.

"Auriel himself may have been beyond my reach, but his influence on this world wasn't. All I needed was the blood of a vampire and his own weapon, Auriel's Bow."

"The blood of a vampire," Serana muttered in growing recognition, "Auriel's Bow...You created that prophecy?"

"A prophecy that lacked a single, final ingredient. The blood of a pure vampire. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour." He gasped as Serana's hands slammed into his throat, the woman lifting him cleanly off the ground as she glared at him in fury, her rage overwhelming Mora's senses.

"You've waited all this time for someone with my blood to come along?" Serana ground out through clenched teeth. "Well too bad for you, I intend on keeping it." She released her hold on his neck, and Vyrthur crumpled to the ground in a gasping heap. "Let's see if _your_ blood has any power to it!" She tried to slam a fist into the man's chest, only for it to miss completely as he rolled swiftly to his feet. Mora tried to shout a warning, but it was too late for Serana to avoid the ice that slammed into her shoulder, sending her reeling back. If Mora had any energy left, she would have punched the ground in frustration. Serana was fighting right in front of her eyes, and she was lying helplessly on the ground. Being helpless was not a feeling Mora was used to, but it was definitely one she _hated_. She began frantically to look around, for something, anything that could help her reach Serana.

" **Enough.** " _That voice…_ Mora looked up just in time to see a clawed hand smash into Vyrthur's chest, easily cleaving through his armor to leave a deep wound. Serana stood to her full height, regarding the wounded elf imperiously as blood dripped from her fingers. The sight of Serana's transformed appearance made Mora's blood run cold. It was horrifying. It was beautiful. It was pure raw power, primal ferocity. Ruthless. All were things Mora could appreciate.

Vyrthur never stood a chance.

Serana held the man up by his neck, his limbs dangling limply. If the punch Serana had delivered to his temple hadn't killed him, she fist Serana slammed through his chest definitely had.

Before Mora knew it, gentle arms were lifting her up, and she found herself gazing into Serana's orange eyes, the woman having reverted to her usual form.

"Come on," the older woman said softly, "let's get you out of here." Mora couldn't help but snuggle further into the woman's chest. Perhaps, on _very_ rare occasions, being helpless wasn't such a bad thing.


	20. Chapter 20

**Short chapter, but fear not! The next one is well underway already, and it's...gonna get bloody. This one is simply the required preparations and mandatory cuddling that needs to happen before one takes on a master vampire. Next chapter will come soon, and will be wholly devoted to the siege of Castle Volkihar. Also, there's a tiny bit of smut at the end of this chapter. There won't be a warning beforehand, so if you don't like it don't read the very end. Thanks for reading, I hope some of you are as excited for the next chapter as I am.**

* * *

Serana sighed, gently tucking a strand of Mora's hair behind the elf's ear. It had been a few days since the fight with Vyrthur, and Mora had by now recovered enough to at least walk on her own. The elf was sleeping peacefully, but Serana stayed awake to watch over the younger woman. She had taken quite the beating, and was still injured despite her healing magic. Whatever Gelebor had hit her with took its toll on her energy, not to mention the blunt trauma of the impact and lacerations from the sharp rock. Still, Serana had no doubt that she would fully heal, given perhaps a week's rest. She shifted the bow that hung over her shoulder. Auriel's bow was surprisingly small, for a weapon made by a god. Even so, the beautifully curved bow practically hummed with energy. Unfortunately, as she had discovered after Mora had first reached consciousness, neither of them knew the first thing about archery. Despite the bow's power, it would be safest to leave it behind. Neither woman intended to die during the coming battle, but it was always better to be safe. They would need to gather their strength, perhaps use Mora's contacts to get some help for the initial siege.

Then, all they had left to do was kill her father. She still wasn't sure how she felt about that. Perhaps even more terrifying was looking past that inevitable battle. Serana hadn't allowed herself to think much about what would happen if and when they finally defeated Harkon. Sometimes, the chances that both of them would get out unscathed seemed so slim, and yet...she couldn't stop picturing what a future with Mora would be like.

Would they live in a quaint cottage, deep in the forest where no one could find them? Would they gaze up at the stars before falling asleep in eachothers arms? Would they get married? Or would they die before they got the chance?

She watched Mora's face for a long time, memorising each detail. The point of her ears, the curve of her cheek, the softness of her lips. Each were preserved into her memory.

Just in case.

* * *

They stopped first at the College of Winterhold. With their knowledge of healing magic, Mora was quickly rid of her remaining injuries. As the Archmage, Mora's influence allowed them to gain some much needed help for the assault on Volkihar Castle. Tolfdir, Faralda, and Phinis had all elected to join. Their expertise in their respective fields would be formidable in battle, although Brelyna, J'zargo, and Onmund were also welcome additions. Even Valerica had decided to accompany them, though she refused to fight Harkon directly.

Serana set out for Whiterun as soon as Mora was healed. The elf stayed at the College to aid in preparation, and in some last minute training for the younger students. Serana was to contact Lydia and Aela about enlisting the help of the Companions, who seemed to be one of the few factions Mora was on good terms with.

Serana had been surprised to find out that Mora had been in the Dark Brotherhood, if only briefly. Apparently, they had backstabbed her, almost literally, and then asked her to help it rebuild. That had gone over quite poorly. The once famed organization was little more than a few assassins living in a whole in the ground. A very burnt whole, after Mora had stormed through it.

It seemed a little strange to Serana, that Mora had been an assassin. The elf had a tendency to use flashy attacks, not to mention loud ones. It definitely didn't suit her. Mora was far more effective in open battle, and her less-than-reserved personality didn't seem to fit the assassin archetype in the slightest.

Then there were the Dawnguard. Mora had been in a bit of a shouting match with its leader, and was not keen on going back to beg for their help. While Serana had prompted her to at least try, the elf had refused to ask for the "bumbling fools' " help. Serana could only shake her head ruefully. Was there anyone Mora _didn't_ piss off?

She reached Whiterun without difficulty, just as the sun began to dip low over the horizon. The streets were beginning to empty as the locals either headed to the taverns of their homes, their laughter ringing clearly through the wooden walls. She approached Mora's home, the quaint house looking as inviting as ever. She knocked on the wooden door, which cracked open after a few second, brown eyes peering curiously at her through the space.

"Serana?" The door widened revealing Lydia, wearing a simple green frock, and a slight frown. "Where's Mora?" Lydia asked suddenly, her eyes squinting with suspicion. "If you-"

"She's at the College," Serana said smoothly. "She sent me here for a matter of...great importance." The door opened all the way, the glow of a fire spilling out over the stoop.

"Come in, then." She stepped aside, allowing the vampire entry. "Hey! Aela! We have a visitor!" She called, the woman in question quickly revealing herself. Serana eyed the two woman, unsure of exactly where to begin. She sighed mentally.

"We have much to discuss."

* * *

Serana found herself glaring at the two woman who sat across from her.

"What do you mean 'both of you at once'?" Aela laughed uproariously, while Lydia at least had the decency to look apologetic.

"You mean you didn't know?" Aela asked incredulously, after she had regained her composure, sharing a sidelong glance with Lydia. "You tell 'er, Lyd." The woman in question sighed, and Serana found herself wishing she had never come to Whiterun.

"Mora is- _used_ to be- the most prolific womanizer in all of Skyrim. It was uncanny, really." Serana found herself wishing she had gotten lost on the way to Whiterun.

"It's weird, I never knew so many women swung that way." Aela gave Serana an appreciative look. "I can see why she ended up settling for you, though." Was Aela hitting on her? Oh Divines, she wanted to get out of here.

"Don't antagonize her, Aela."

"Wouldn't dream of it," the redhead said smoothly, "I don't want to have Mora after me. Well…"

"Aela."

"Fine."

Serana groaned, refraining narrowly from hitting her forehead on the table in exasperation. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Fortunately for Serana, it only took a day for the Companions to organize themselves and begin to head North. Aela, Lydia, Vilkas, Farkas, Ria, and Torvar all elected to come. Combined with the mages at Mora's disposal and they were a force to be reckoned with.

On the way to the college, the Companions laughed and bantered with a casualness Serana didn't share. There was no way of knowing how many of them would come back alive. Harkon had plenty of vampires at his disposal, none of which were pushovers when it came to battle. That was all before they got to the master vampire. There was no telling what sort of abilities _he_ had.

They reached the college quickly, the unlikely band marching on the double to hasten their speed. They filed into the stone halls, the Companions looking around curiously. None of them were mages, preferring the sword and shield to any spell. Thankfully, the companions were more accepting than many of the local inhabitants of Skyrim, and didn't fear magic in the way they did.

Mora was waiting for her in the elf's personal chambers, turning over a dragon priest mask in her hands. At the sound of Serana's entrance, she quickly looked up, a smile splitting her face. Serana felt the joy immediately through their bond, and couldn't help but return the grin as the smaller woman slipped easily into her arms.

"Lydia and Aela told me a lot about you," she said evenly. The elf tensed. Serana smirked.

* * *

"I've always wanted to try this" Mora rasped, her teeth raking down the pulse point of Serana's neck. A gasp escaped her lips at the sensation, and the hold she had in Mora's hair tightened, forcing the woman's lips to her neck. Mora's unclothed form pressed against her, their legs intertwined in a sensual dance. Serana's eyes fluttered shut as Mora's fangs sank in, each nerve ending tingling with pleasure. Her breath hitched as Mora's hands slid over her sides, coming to rest over her breast. Her thoughts were fuzzy from the haze of pleasure, until-

"Why did you stop?" Serana opened her eyes to find the elf looking down at her with a confused expression.

"I bit you," Mora said. Serana rolled her eyes.

"Yes love, I know. Could you get back to that, please?"

"No I mean," the elf chewed her lip, "why were you not having a mind blowing orgasm the whole time?" _Oh, that._ Serana had to stifle a laugh, giving the elf embarrassed elf an apologetic look.

"Love, I've never heard about anyone else doing that when a vampire bites them. Now isn't there something better you could be doing with your mouth?"

Mora's protest was stifled by her kiss.

She would have this night, this one perfect night, for there was no telling what the morrow would bring.


	21. Chapter 21

Mora stood, arms crossed, facing Castle Volkihar. She cut an intimidating figure, with her robes whipping about her in the harsh wind that howled around them. Her sword was at its usual place on her back, sharp and ready for blood. Behind her, the mages of the college were gathered, looking nervous but determined. The Companions were perhaps less intimidated by the prospect of combat, each clad in full battle gear, Aela standing at the head. Valerica was next to Serana, as stoic and haughty as ever. The elf turned, surveying the unlikely fellowship gathered before her. Some of them gave her hopeful glances, perhaps expecting some sort of speech. Serana smirked.

"Stick to the plan," Mora said simply. She reached to her side and grabbed the dragon priest mask Nahkriin, fixing it gently over her face. When she next spoke, her voice had an eerie metallic edge. "Well?" She drew her blade smoothly, spinning it in her hand as she turned back to the castle. "What are you waiting for?"

They surged forward, and even Serana found herself caught up in the battlecries that erupted around her. The castle was too difficult to gain entry to anywhere except the main bridge, so they decided not to try a stealth attack. If they gained entry the same way Mora and Serana had before, they would be left with a far more difficult escape route should things go sour. The downside was that surely Harkon would know he was being attacked.

She had her answer a split second later, when six gargoyles jumped from their pedestals in a shower of rock. In the same instance, the main castle doors opened, and vampires came rushing out to meet them head-on. Serana was forced to fight the gargoyle blocking her path, easily dodging its clumsy swing. A quick blast of frost slowed the creature, its stone limbs grinding with the effort of movement. The bridge shook as one of the gargoyles crashed to the ground, dispatched by the mages who were much better suited to combat the stony constructs than the Companions. Serana sent the gargoyle in front of her toppling off the bridge with another blast of magic, quickly joining the Companions as they rushed to the castle. Two frost atronachs lumbered heavily behind her, conjured by Phinis, who was aiding the college students in bringing down one of the last gargoyles. Ahead, Serana could see Mora, her blade flashing gracefully as she lead the charge, vampires falling before her with each swing of her sword.

" **YOL TOOR SHUL!** " A massive wave of fire erupted into the entrance of the castle, spilling down the stairs and into the main hall. Triumphant cheers rang around Serana as they once more surged forward, trampling the still smoking bodies of vampires as they spilled into the castle. Serana pushed to the front of the charge, eager to join Mora, firing off spells into the room below. Arrows whistled past, fired by some of the Companions, who had taken shelter behind a crumbling bannister. The din of battle was loud in her ears, the scent of blood and burnt flesh already permeating the air. Serana was forced to take cover as the vampires began to return fire, ice and electricity sailing over her head. Behind her, she heard a cry of pain, but had no time to look as she broke cover to fire a salvo if ice, striking one vampire in the chest. The man collapsed, falling limply over a railing to land with a dull thud on the stone floor. Not taking the time to celebrate her victory, Serana's eyes scanned for her elf as she avoided the spells hurled her way.

" **MID VUR SHAAN!** " The roar reverberated around the hall, soon answered by battlecries of the mages and Companions. Serana rushed to the noise, suddenly feeling a surge of strength as the shout washed over her. Mora was back to back with Lydia, the women's blades slashing in tandem as they fought their way through the hall. Recklessly, Serana lept over the banister, firing off one parting spell before rushing to Mora's side, adding a magical shield to Lydia's own wooden one.

The vampires were pushed back, hastily retreating deeper into the castle. They began to follow, ignoring both the cries of victory and wails of anguish behind them.

The dead would have to be counted later.

They rushed up stones steps, suddenly very aware of how quiet it had become. Without warning, a ball of fire came hurdling at them, only to be deflected by a blast of energy from Mora.

"Isn't this a surprise," came the sneering voice. A tall vampire stepped from the shadows, a spell charged in each hand.

"Vingalmo," Serana said bitterly, building her magic in preparation for the coming attack. The vampire surged forward, only to be met by a massive bolt of electricity. He didn't even have time to scream before he died, his burnt body rolling limply down the staircase.

"I always hated that man." Valerica stood behind them, energy still crackling in her palm. She looked between Serana and Mora, rare emotion dancing in her eyes. "Go," was all she said.

They mounted the last of the stairs, turning a corridor before coming upon-

"The cathedral," Serana breathed. "I think...this is it." She gulped, trying to stifle the trembling that was growing in her hands. "If anything happens-"

"Nothing will happen," Mora said sharply. "Let's end this."

* * *

The doors swung open soundlessly, revealing a large crumbling room. Harkon stood facing them, already in his demonic vampire lord form. He towered over the women, his sickly grey skin stretched taut over muscle and sinew.

"Serana, darling, I see you still favor keeping a pet." His voice was a low rumble, coming about harshly from his gnashing fangs.

"You know why we're here," Serana bit out, already building her magic for an attack.

"Of course I do," Harkon rasped boredly, "You disappoint me, Serana. You've taken everything I provided for you and thrown it all away for this...pathetic half-breed." Serana wanted to scream.

"Provided for me? Are you insane? You've destroyed our family, you've killed other vampires, all over some prophecy that we barely understand!" She breathed, collecting herself. "No more. I'm done with you. You will not touch her." He laughed, the sound echoing eerily off the stone walls.

"That is where you are wrong, daughter. With the blood of the dragonborn, I will be unstoppable." Serana's eyes widened in horror. Surely he couldn't mean-

"I see you understand. Once the transfusion is complete, I will have her power for myself. Perhaps I will even gain that pesky voice of hers."

"You monster," Serana growled.

" **Enough of this!** " Mora roared, the walls shaking from the force of her voice. " **Become dust, Harkon. YOL TOOR SHUL!** " Blinding flames washed over the vampire, enveloping him in a swirling blast of fire. The flames slowly dissipated, to reveal a bored looking Harkon, one hand raised lazily as a transparent black shield enveloped his body.

"Such manners," he drawled. "I see you didn't bring my bow, either. No matter. I need Serana alive anyway. She will reveal its location. You, however…"

Harkon flapped his bat-like wings, gliding backwards as he fired a blast of bright red energy from his hand. Mora rolled to the side as it impacted next to her, scorching the stone wall. Mora's responding fireballs was blocked easily by his shield, as was Serana's own attack.

" **KRII LUN AUS!** " Mora yelled, a wave of purple energy crackling as it made contact with Harkon's defense. He was pushed back from the force of the shout, and Mora quickly pressed her advantage, hurling another fireball his way. It struck him in the shoulder, hissing as it made contact with his flesh. He snarled, summoning his own magic in his hand before unleashing it in a violent shock wave. Serana felt herself lifted off her feet for a moment, her back hitting the hard wall behind her. Mora had barely blocked the attack, but staggered heavily under the onslaught.

" **YOL!** " Mora cried again, and Serana was grateful for the bought time as the clambered to her feet. Again, Harkon deflected the shout, a sneer clearly visible on his face. He swiped his hand upward, tendrils of magic bursting from Mora's chest as if he was sucking it out of her. The elf gasped, staggering back before falling to one knee, her skin becoming gaunt and pale. Fury welled within Serana's breast, and she gave into the emotion, surging forward as she transformed. Harkon was knocked back by her wave of magic, cursing as he was thrown into the wall.

"Don't touch her," she rasped, her voice transformed into a primal growl. Harkon had no time to retort before Mora was upon him, her blade flashing in the dim light. She landed two strikes on his torso before she was flung back by a powerful kick.

"I will enjoy," he panted, "draining you dry." He lunged forward, only to be slammed sideways as Serana rushed him. The two transformed vampires grappled for a moment before breaking apart, each with deep gashes left from their claws. Serana readied another spell, intending to drain Harkon's energy, just as Mora engaged him again. Her blade spun faster than Serana could follow, but still could not land a clean hit on the larger vampire, despite Serana's draining spell. Mora disengaged, leaping backwards to avoid a bolt of energy. She landed in a crouch, her sword held firmly in her hand.

" **WULD!"** Mora shot forward in a blur, her blade flashing down before Harkon intercepted her with a backhand across her face, sending her spinning across the room, her blade and mask landing a short distance away. Serana could only grit her teeth as Harkon avoided yet another one of her spells, rage bubbling hot in her chest.

Mora screamed in frustration, picking up her fallen sword and rushing Harkon. Serana saw a brief flicker of a smirk cross his visage, before shadow surrounded him. He moved almost too fast for her to follow as he melded with the darkness, flowing smoothly to Mora's side. The elf had no time to react before his hand was around her throat, slamming her roughly into the wall.

"That voice of yours," he rumbled, "it's so...annoying. Let's see how you fare without it."

Serana could only scream as blood spurted from Mora's mouth, wide open in a silent scream of pain. _Blood magic?_ He released his hold on the elf's throat, kicking her violently as she fell to the ground. Mora crumpled in a heap, clutching her throat as she gagged on her own blood.

"Bastard!" Serana shrieked, futilely attempting to drain him with her magic. He quickly deflected the spell with a flick of his hand, not even bothering to look her direction. He bent down, picking up Mora's fallen blade. The sword looked tiny in his hands as he inspected it, before he snapped the blade abruptly, letting the two pieces tumble to the floor.

"Your pet isn't so useful after all, daughter," he sneered. Once more, he melted into shadow, rushing her before she could move. His clawed hand struck her across the face, stunning her as she fell to the ground. In a mist of pain, she saw Mora try futilely to stand, blood pouring from her mouth. Tears dredged lines in the dirt that marred her face, and Serana could see an ugly bruise sprouting on her neck.

A cold fury overtook her, the likes of which she had never known before. It was like every fiber of her being had one intention. _Kill Harkon._ With a roar, she forced herself to her feet, an explosion of magic rocking Harkon back. She barely had control of herself anymore, of the magic gathering at her fingertips. She poured all of her power into a single thought, allowing her instincts to take over her every action. _Destroy him._ A pulse of red energy expanded outwards, enveloping Harkon for a brief moment, before disappearing into his skin. For a brief moment, it seemed like the spell did nothing, until a sickening _splat_ filled the air. Harkon's knees buckled, and he only just caught himself before he hit the ground, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. With any luck, his insides were hemorrhaging profusely as the twisted magic took root. He glared at her with newfound hatred, panting heavily as her blood magic took its toll in his body. The spell left Serana drained, and it was all she could do to stay on her feet. Still, she allowed herself a brief flash of hope that perhaps he was finally defeated. It didn't last long.

"It seems, my daughter, that we are not so different." He laboriously rose to his full height, despite the massive internal damage his body had suffered. "But your magic is...untrained. I will show you true power!" She screamed as she was thrown against the wall, her legs finally giving out as she crumpled in a heap. Whatever he had done, it left all her muscles burning with pain. A spasm wracked her body, her muscles tearing under the effects of the spell. She closed her eyes as Harkon approached her, trying to picture Mora's face. Then, at least, her little elf would be the last thing she ever saw.

" **TIID KLO UL**." The ground trembled at the sound, a broken and warped voice, holding power the likes of which she had never felt before. Serana's eyes flying open as she felt a wave of power wash over her. She looked up, her confusion mirrored on Harkon's face as they both stared at the clawed hand that protruded from his chest, blood dripping from its fingertips.

"W-what-" He staggered as the hand retracted, clutching at the empty space where his still heart used to be.

" **YOL.** "

Serana watched as her father burned before her eyes, his screams slowly melting away, along with his flesh. Standing above him, looking down at his charred corpse, was Mora. Blood still dripped from her mouth, which had become more angular, her skin stretched taut over high cheekbones. Wings sprouted from her shoulder blades, gray and bat-like, tipped by sharp spikes. Muscle and sinew was easily visible beneath her greyed skin, flexing with each labored breath. Slowly, she sank to her knees, her body receding into its normal state. Serana reverted to her usual form as well, wincing as her ruined muscles warped under the forced herself to move despite her screaming muscles, crawling across the cold floor to the elf. Blood still dripped from her mouth as she stared blankly at Harkon's body, as if unable to comprehend the sight before her. Serana drew the smaller woman into her arms, ignoring the blood that coated them.

"It's going to be alright," she said into Mora's matted hair. They had done it. They had killed Harkon. She closed her eyes. It was over.

Mora began to shake, with such violence it felt to Serana like she was sobbing. Serana quickly turned the elf to face her, concern rapidly overtaking any other thought as pure anguish slammed into her through their link. When she saw Mora's face, dread chilled her to her very soul. The elf's face was contorted in a scream, but no sound was forthcoming. Almost frantically, Serana tried to heal the injury, but it was futile. Such intricate magic was unheard of. All she could do was hold Mora close as she sobbed, her silent tears soaking Serana's cloak. She could only stare blankly at the wall, the undeniable truth slowly setting in. The undeniable truth that the Dragonborn had lost her voice.

* * *

 **Well, there it is! I hope that was...intense enough. I urge you to review, because I am really curious what people think about the outcome of this fight. Maybe I hyped it up too much, but I was super excited to write this. It's been in my head for such a long time. Such a long time, in fact, that this whole story was almost titled "The Dragonborn without a Voice". But, I can't just put spoilers in the title. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Two years later…**

* * *

Serana stared up at the wooden ceiling of Breezehome, blankly tracing each knot and imperfection with her eyes. Beside her, Mora slept peacefully, one arm draped lazily over Serana's midriff. Despite the sun having set long ago, Serana stayed awake. Each night was the same. Even when it became so dark that despite her enhanced vision she could no longer see, Serana refused to let sleep take her. It was force of habit, really.

Mora didn't have nightmares nearly as often anymore.

Still, she couldn't seem to allow herself to drift off. She never could, not after what had happened.

The thought brought a lump to her throat, and her eyes drifted to rest on Mora's sleeping face. Mora, her little elf, was still so proud, despite what had happened. Too proud to ask for help, even when nightmares haunted her dreams. Sometimes, in the dead of night, Mora would wake up screaming. A scream that Serana couldn't hear. Mora's agony was silent, and she stubbornly refused to rouse Serana and ask for comfort.

So Serana stayed awake. Just in case.

Idly, she toyed with the golden band around her ring finger. It had been about a year since they had been married. It was a quiet affair, Serana only had Valerica to invite, and Mora's close friends were rather few.

Strangely, it was Serana who proposed. She had promised herself never to set foot in another temple, but that was long ago. Now, there was nothing she wouldn't do if it would make Mora smile again.

She could remember that day vividly, how she spoke her vows while looking into her love's golden eyes. How Mora's dress glinted in the soft light, filtered through stained glass windows. It had been perfect. Almost. Mora had cried then, but they were not the tears of happiness Serana longed for on that day. Mora's vows were whispered, the only sound she could create, just for Serana to hear. She thought it was beautiful, special, that Mora's words were for her alone. Her little elf thought otherwise. She had wanted to proclaim her love for all to hear, to claim Serana as her own in front of the world. But she could not.

How she cursed her father. The man who took away Mora's voice, and her happiness along with it. There were no celebrations after their victory at castle Volkihar. Had it not been made of stone, Serana would have burned the whole thing down. She never wanted to see it again. They had trudged back through the snow in silence, and in mourning. They could not carry the bodies with them. Tolfdir and Onmund had been felled in battle. The college mourned their loss, one a kind teacher, the other an eager student. The Companions lost Torvar and Farkas. Serana could still picture Vilkas sitting on the stone floor, cradling the limp form of his brother, his broken cries echoing loudly through the castle. There were no heroes that day, there would be no songs sung or poems recited. Most of Skyrim would forever be ignorant that they had been saved. They would never know of the students who lost a teacher and a friend, the man who lost a brother, the warriors who lost a companion. The Dragonborn who lost her voice.

Serana sighed, wishing, as she did every night, for the divines to answer her prayers.

* * *

Golden light filtered pleasantly through the leaves, basking the first in a comfortable warmth. Birds chirped, flitting about between branches, their song loud over the soft rustling of the leaves. Serana found herself to be a bit warm this far south, especially with the heavy humidity, but Mora seemed content to finally be rid of Skyrim's biting cold. Despite the slight discomfort brought on by the change in temperature, Serana was fascinated. She never knew trees could grow so big. Where they stretched almost too tall for her to see, and wide enough that a wagon could have passed through the middle. And everything was so _green_. Mosses grew in spades on fallen logs, or low hanging tree boughs. Toadstools and fungus littered the ground, along with flowers and swaying grasses. It was like something out of a fairytale.

They had been in Valenwood for a few days, and with each step they took Serana could feel both Mora's excitement and trepidation growing. She knew they were close. As they wended their way under low hanging vines and between trees, Mora suddenly broke into a run. Serana found herself hard pressed to keep up, lacking Mora's astonishing agility. She finally broke through the foliage and into a small clearing, where Mora was frozen as still as a statue. Before them, a small cottage stood, fashioned in the same dark tropical wood that surrounded them. A well kept garden flourished beside it, surrounded by a makeshift fence. Mora seemed transfixed by the sight, and Serana took it upon herself to guide the stricken woman forward, gently pulling her to the entrance. She raised her hand, and knocked sharply at the door. A brief shuffling could be heard from within, before the door was cracked open, revealing a pair of emerald eyes. As the door opened further, Serana couldn't help but smile. Mora's mother was the spitting image of her daughter, though her hair was black instead of brown, and her face was perhaps slightly more round. It was adorable, really, and now Serana was left with no doubts as to which parent gave Mora her height. Serana stepped forward, extending a friendly hand.

"Hello, Mrs. Reunia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

She didn't need to look back to know Mora was smiling.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Yes, this is the conclusion of the story. It's perhaps a bit short, but I liked it this way. This is the first story I've ever written, and I know it has its flaws (especially in the early chapters, I might go back and fix those eventually) but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless.**

 **As for a sequel (or a prequel), that remain to be seen. As of now, I have little planned. If I do another story, I'm definitely going to take more time to plan it out. I had pretty much no written plan for this story, and I'm afraid it showed sometimes. I have learned a ton from writing this, and it was a lot of fun. Hopefully next time I can write something a bit longer, and more original.**

 **Again, thank you so much for reading. To those who reviewed, I appreciate it immensely, your feedback and comments helped me come up with ideas and to keep motivated with my writing. Perhaps I should also look into getting a Beta Reader, I feel like that would have helped too...**

 **As always, review or PM me with any questions, comments, or concerns.**


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